Hey guys, I hope you enjoyed the first part of the winter survival series. In part 2, we’re going to cover some emergency shelter options for you to fall back on, just in case you find yourself stuck in the elements. I’d like to thank you for coming by and if you have any comments … Continue reading Winter Survival Part 2 – Emergency Shelter→

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Matthew 16:25

Coach Joe Kennedy of Bremerton High School in Washington State is the latest American Christian to have lost his job over his commitment to Jesus.

People often associate today’s verse with martyrdom. For Christians who are being tortured and killed in the middle East at the hands of ISIS, that is a very real threat. It is, indeed, the ultimate expression of your commitment to your faith. But, while Kim Davis, the Kliens from Sweet Cakes Bakery, and Coach Joe Kennedy may still have breath in their lungs, they have paid a price for the sake of Christ. They have either lost their livelihood altogether, or suffered serious economic hardship. When you lose your job, you lose a significant part of your life. These faithful Americans will have a rich reward in the kingdom to come.

While we can take joy in these brave American’s coming treasure in heaven, it is not enough. We have to be willing to stand side by side with them. The best way to do that is to pray for them, but we should also put our money where our mouth is. Yes, I know times are tight, but we can all give up a soda or a cup of coffee and chip in a dollar or two. For those of us whom the father has blessed with earthly wealth, it is so we can support his work. The Liberty Institute is defending Coach Joe in this battle and they are consistently in the fight for faith and freedom. If you can, please help them in the fight.

As we see the persecution of Christians becoming more and more prominent, we must brace ourselves for the day when it comes to our door. Since the majority of the persecution thus far has been financial, I recommend that you get on a strict budget and save as much as you can. If financial persecution never hits you, you’ll be better prepared to assist your brothers and sister who are affected by it.

Come back every Sunday for a new Prepper Bible Study! The most important prep of all is knowing GOD. Jesus said “what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world yet loses his own soul?” Prepper translation: “What good will it do you to survive the coming economic collapse, nuclear war or even a zombie apocalypse if you don’t know you will go to heaven when you die.” A recent study found that 10 out of 10 people die! On that day we will meet our Maker. It only makes sense to be prepared for that day. Click here to learn more about knowing GOD.

Dogs have been domesticated for millennia now, and ever since they have earned (and rightfully so) the reputation of “man’s best friend”. A family god will get very attached to its owner or owners. And thanks to its territorial nature, will do a great job of protecting the ones he holds dear and his territory (your house and possessions). Throughout the years, dog breeding has become more and more specialized, with different types of breeds particularly good for different types of tasks, like: protection, hunting, seeing guides for the blind, companions etc. If treated well and loved, your dog will reward you being faithful, caring and protective in return. Dogs bred for protection in most cases, can be your best line of defense: they can sense danger from afar (smelling the approaching strangers) and can alert you by barking. But if this fails and you find yourself or youra family under attack, your dog won’t hesitate to retaliate against you attacker. You can always count on your dog’s loyalty when it comes to protecting its master, no matter his size or ability. Next I’m going show you the best 5 dog breeds for personal protection, on which most experts agree upon.

The German Shepherd

According to most specialists, the German Shepherd is THE guard dog. This breed is rather new, as it was first bred in the 19th century, in Germany (hence the name). It was immediately exported to America, and during the World Wars it was used on the field by pretty much everybody thanks to their keen sense of smell, which made them prefect in land mine detection or enemy tracking. They’re the most common breed used by the police force today, due to their obedience, sense of smell and responsiveness. The German Shepherd is particularly intelligent; they’re very fast learners and very good listeners when they’re given a certain command. Their fur is rather thick, which makes them tolerant to drastic climate change: they are very resistant to cold weather but they will easily shed in warm climate, in order to adapt. They are very aware of their surroundings and do an excellent job in protecting their homes and owners. Their size is considerable, capable of overpowering anybody. but despite their aggressive look, they are very loving by nature, especially with children. They are most effective if properly trained. It’s necessary the dog will have his very own place or quarters to sleep, so that he can understand his role in the family. As mentioned before, they are fast learners and if loved and cared for, you’ll need no better protection for you and your entire family.

The Doberman Pinscher

This breed originated in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century. They’ve been brought to the US after the end of World War II and used mostly in military and police situations. Although many races were thrown into the mix, they seem to resemble grayhounds most. Their careful breeding gave them excellent traits for a guard dog, like athleticism, strength and obedience. If trained properly, the Doberman will be very loyal to its master and very obedient to his every command. It’s not what you would call a loving dog, but it’s very aware and protective of its family (at the same time weary of people he doesn’t know) and quick to react if need be. They don’t require much grooming and attention, since their hair is short: regular feeding and exercising will suffice. The breed is rather disease-free; regular vet-checks and ear and tail clippings will avoid complications. They are not easily trained, and need to be dominated from an early age to understand authority. Also its best you they are brought up in a home full of children rather than brought in at an older age.

The Great Dane

The Great Dane (aka. the German Mastiff) has a long lineage that dates to about 3000 B.C. It was originally bred for hunting and protecting the household, but later one they were also put to military purposes, thanks to their innate sense of smell, which makes them excellent trackers. Although this breed is very big and intimidating, they are very gentle in nature, excellent around children or even other dog breeds. Despite their size, they are very well proportioned and have a great sense of balance. In other words, they are usually very size-aware and won’t run around the house, laying everything to waste in their path. It’s better as a guard dog than a protection god, because of its timid nature. It might run away from a confrontation if scared, but their bark is extremely powerful and intimidating. In most cases it’s enough to keep evil doers at bay. You can’t just bring a Great Dane into your house without proper training. He will need constant supervision until he gets familiarized with the house, so they can learn what’s off limits and what’s not. Their size requires a fair amount of exercise, but overdoing it may cause health-related problems. Just limit you Great Dane to just daily walks and he should live a long a healthy life.

The Saint Bernard

If the name doesn’t ring a bell, just remember the movie about a big dog name Beethoven and there you have it. The breed is original from Northern Europe, where they were used on harsh climate conditions to roam and track travelers or lost civilians, mostly in snowy mountain areas. They could be easily followed through safe passage by almost everybody, thanks to their friendly nature. With big size, comes a big heart. Despite the fact that they can grow to about 180 pounds, they are very sociable and lovable, and they do extremely well in a large family setting. Just like the Great Dane, the Saint Bernard is more of a barker than a fighter, but unlike the Dane they aren’t at all aware of their size. So leaving small children unattended in their presence is unadvised, as they could easily sit or trample unknowingly over toddlers. As for training, they aren’t very responsive until they reach adulthood. They’ll eat more than any other breed of dog, require daily exercise and need fur brushing a few times a week. They’re life span is no longer than 10 years due to their massive size, but if you’re looking for a dog that more menacing by look than by nature, than look no further.

The Rottweiler

They go as far back as Antiquity does, when they were used as both guard and attack dogs in the legions of the Roman Empire. In more modern times, they did very well as police dogs or household guard dogs, thanks to their aggressive nature and intelligence. It’s a dog that you absolutely cannot bring into your home without professional training. He can be very aggressive and if not trained properly, a Rottweiler can pose a threat even to children.

They are known to be some of the smartest dogs on the planet, which makes them very responsive to training and obedient.

And after the training session is over the dog is used to its surroundings, you’ll see that he can be extremely loving and friendly towards the whole family. As far as the Rottweiler’s physical condition goes, you’ll have no problems.

They have maybe the best health history out of all domesticated dog breeds, and if fed and exercised regularly they live an average of 10 years.

There are many breeds of dogs to choose from. And when you chose yours, make sure you consult a specialist on the kind of dog would suit you most. A guard dog may be your best ally in a hostile or even SHTF situation, as they can guard and defend alike. However, always keep in mind that a dog is not a tool, nor a weapon. It’s a pet and a companion most of all, which requires time and effort to hold. But if you love and respect your dog, be sure that he’ll have no second thought about putting his life on the line for yours.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” –2 Chronicles 7:14 (NKJV)

The core idea of Patriots’ Prayers is to get Americans praying together, seeking forgiveness for our nation and turning back to God (repentance). Please pray these prayers throughout the week, and have others join you in praying. This week, please especially note the prayer request at the bottom of this list, as a fifth American has now been arrested and is being held by Iran.

Pray for America

For Forgiveness and Repentance

Save and protect, O Lord, these United States of America and have mercy on us. As a nation, we have turned our backs on you and have sinned. We have allowed our God-given liberties to be taken away. We have allowed the epidemic of abortion to fester out of control. We have allowed prayer to be eliminated from our schools, and Your Word and commandments to be banned from our public squares. We have allowed Your place in our nation’s history to be erased from our textbooks and our minds. We have turned our backs on Your teachings. We no longer look to You and Your Word for our standards of right and wrong, replacing those absolute truths with the whim of our own opinions. We have allowed decadence and depravity of all sorts to become public and commonplace. Common decency has become a thing of the past. We confess these and all our sins to You and ask forgiveness for ourselves and our nation. Bring us to a state of true repentance – a returning to You – as both individuals and as a nation. We confess Your lordship over every aspect of our lives and our nation. Help us to follow You once again. Restore your mercy and blessings to these United States of America, and re-establish a hedge of protection around us. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ we pray, Amen.

Against Demonic Influence

Almighty God, who delivered Your people from the bondage of the adversary, and through Your Son cast down Satan like lightning, deliver these United States of America also from every influence of the unclean spirits. Command Satan to depart far from these United States by the power of Your only begotten Son. Rescue this nation and its peple from demonic delusion and darkness. Fill the American people with the light of the Holy Spirit that we may be guarded against the snares of the crafty demons. Grant that angels always watch over our nation and lead us to the path of righteousness forever, to the honor of Your glorious name, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.

For Our Government Officials

Save, O Lord, and have mercy upon all leaders, politicians, and civil authorities of these United States of America. I especially hold up to you President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, Chief Justice John Roberts, House Speaker Paul Ryan, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. I also pray for all the President’s Cabinet members and advisers, the associate judges of the Supreme Court, all federal, state, and local judges, all members of the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as all governors, state legislators, and local authorities. Grant them wisdom in their duties and decisions, and have them serve Your Will in all things. Block all of their plots and schemes that run counter to Your good and perfect Will, or that threaten the inalienable rights You have given to us. (Additionally, please feel free to pray by name for any elected officials at any level, especially those with jurisdiction over your locality.)For the Church in America

Remember, O Lord, Your Church, which You purchased with Your precious blood – protect it, strengthen it, and multiply it. Keep Your Church in peace, and bring to naught all plots and threats against Your Church. Have mercy, O Lord, upon the whole clergy of Your Church, and grant them the courage, wisdom, and strength needed to boldly preach and do Your Will during these perilous times. (Please pray by name for your church, your pastor or priest, and fellow church members.)

The Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.Give us this day our daily bread;and forgive us our trespassesas we forgive those who trespass against us;and lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from evil.

Additional Prayers

Save, O Lord, and have mercy upon the old, the young, the unborn, the needy and poor, the orphans and widows, the sick, the disabled, the oppressed and the imprisoned. Especially have mercy on those suffering for Your sake.

Grant, O Lord, blessings and mercies to all current and former members of our armed forces. Save them, protect them, and keep them safe.

Bless, O Lord, and have mercy on those who serve as police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, and other first responders.

Save, O Lord, and have mercy upon the State of Israel. Shield it with Your love, protect it, and let it know peace. Send Your light and wisdom to its leaders, and direct them with Your good counsel.

Special Prayer Request

Please pray for God’s mercy and healing on the now five Americans being held hostage in Iran. Pray for them to have the courage and strength they need to survive their ordeal. Pray that their captivity quickly come to an end, and that they return safely home very soon. Pray also for God to provide comfort and mercy to their families and friends.

Siamak Namazi – an Iranian-American businessman arrested two weeks ago while visiting relatives in Tehran. Details of his arrest are sketchy, and any charges have not been made public. However, it appears he was arrested by the intelligence division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and apparently is being held in Evin prison.

Saeed Abedini – the 35 year-old pastor, husband, and father of two, has been held prisoner in Iran since the summer of 2012. Abedini was visiting relatives and helping to establish an orphanage when he was arrested. His captors have recently subjected him to new harsh interrogations, including using a stun gun on him, and are threatening him with new charges and an even longer sentence.

Jason Rezaian – a 39 year-old journalist working for the The Washington Post as their bureau chief in Tehran, Iran was arrested on charges of espionage and propaganda on July 22, 2014.

Amir Hekmati – the 32 year-old former US Marine was visiting his grandmother and other relatives in Iran when he was arrested in 2011.

Robert Levinson – now 67, went missing while in Iran in 2007. In 2010, his family received proof that he was still alive and being held prisoner. According to the AP, there is reason to believe that Levinson, a former FBI and DEA agent, was working undercover for the CIA at the time of his disappearance.

It has not been all that cold yet, but both Mom and I like using the “mill ends”/box wood for a hot, fast fire that takes the chill off in the house. I filled up the porch small wood rick/wood pile with a mix of the old and new wood. I cut down a few older chunks of wood that were a bit large for the wood stove using the electric chain saw. I replaced the old circular saw blade on the Black and Decker circular saw and it work darn good on the “mill ends” filling up the 18 gallon buckets of wood. Your saw should cut wood without a lot of pressure applied. If you are forcing the cut it is time to buy a new blade or sharpen the blade. I filled 2 of the 18 gallon buckets, but I’m feeling the extra effort using the circular saw compared to a table saw.

I used the electric chain saw to cut down a few over sized chunks of wood. I filled the little wood rick/ holder to the top and then some as well as two 18 gallon buckets of cut mill ends. Mom makes the fire first in the morning. I tend to top off the fire at night if needed. But I need to find the “sweet spot” on burning wood.

Dad gave me a great Hobart table saw from his Dad. It is great, but I’m having a heck of a time finding any info, about proper blade replacement. I can’t find a model number because of age. The blade is a circular 8 1/4 inch blade but the arbor is well above the standard5/8ths arbor. My guesstimate on the arbor is in the 3/4 or 7/8″ range. I know it might seem another “duh” moment but a sharp blade/chainsaw is something you need on hand to make quick work of your cutting jobs. I really want to get a good miter/table saw for cutting the box wood quickly and for my future wood building projects.

I stopped by the local Ross store to see what they have and I was a bit surprised by how they have expanded from just clothing. I picked up a set of those little doggie steps ($10.00) that help older dogs get up on beds or a couch as they get older and less mobile. I did not find the flat sheets I wanted, but Ross did have some nice sheet and blanket sets for a good price. I found a couple of the larger jute/rubber door mats I I got a jute/rubber mat for the backdoor and a rubber sort of an open mesh mat that I placed over the sand area in front of the chicken gate so the area drains. Each mat cost about $7.00, which is a pretty good price. Getting the door mats should give us a place to get rid of most the leaves, dirt and other unpleasant items without having to “deface” some of my big decorative rocks by the back door. I don’t have pics but I think one of the bigger rocks shuddered with revulsion when we used it to scrape our boots.

The $4.99 can of coffee at Fred Meyer’s was a bust as they have shrunk the cans again, this time down to 24 oz. I’m so peeved by this nonsense, as a big can of coffee used to be a full 36 oz. I had a feeling that last month’s sale of coffee was a setup/clear out of old cans to introduce “a new and improved” smaller can of coffee. I understand grocery stores operate with razor thin margins but this sort of pricing irks me and it feeds into the US government paradigm that there is no inflation because a can a coffee only costs $4.99 yet that can of coffee is less than 2 pounds now compared to 2.5-3 pounds back 2-4 years ago. Yes, I am that anal-retentive that I notice how all the packaging has shrunk, then we get a “sale price” on the new and improved item and in about the month the price will hike again to the “new” normal price.

I’m starting to get ahead of the power curve on the house payment and having a bit of cash on hand. Mom has been great for motivation on saving money for the “emergency fund. I’m buying $10.00 rolls of 50 cent coins as my cash savings and hoping for a silver coin year of 40-90% silver. So far no luck on silver but saving the coins is helping me to save cash for the future.

Great news Smokey the cat is coming out more and Tucker the peke is starting to follow verbal commands. It’s not perfect yet but things are getting better via the pets behaving.

The fall and winter holidays are here, we just went through the first one, Halloween, it’s not something I have been really big on celebrating, but PB has a rich history from his childhood, good memories, mainly of his mother, who is a wonderful artist, making up the 3 brothers in intricate costumes. One of PB’s fondest memories is being turned into the Frankenstein monster.

Fast forward 40 something years and PB is still a kid at heart and loves Halloween. Our community hosts a big Halloween party each year, this year PB decided he was going to go as a Hospitaller knight, you can read about them here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knights_Hospitaller.

He already had a chain mail headpiece, but he needed a helmet and a tunic. In typical Bobbage fashion, he took the bonnet that had been removed from the VW bug years ago, he cut out 2 pieces of metal and beat on it for 3 days. He molded those two pieces into a helmet, along with a few trim pieces, he actually made an authentic looking helmet.

The tunic was much easier, he took a charcoal gray wool blanket, cut a slit for his head, and sewed a white cross on the chest area. I’d say all in all, he looked quite real, he looked and played the part of a knight.

I wasn’t so keen on dressing up in a costume, so I wore a safety orange t-shirt over a black long sleeve thermal top, I told everyone I was a punkin, not a pumPKin, but a pun’kin.

You can still see the blue paint from the VW bug on the helmet.

It’s fun to have a creative soul in my life, anyone else would have built a standard looking box to live in, not that there is anything wrong with that (said in my best Seinfeld voice). Getting to live in a castle on a mountainside of far west Texas is quite the treat.

1- If you can afford you should have body armor. Everyone expected to carry a rifle should have body armor. Depending on your concept of use, budget and needs it could be a somewhat lighter set of ceramic plates or AR 500 body armor.

1A- Body armor is nowhere near as expensive as it used to be. There are a lot of options in the 4 bill range and some in the mid to high 3 bill range if you shop carefully.

2- The discussion about whether you should wear body armor in a given situation is an entirely different one from whether you should have it. For any defensive situation you want armor. For any deliberate offensive situation like a raid or a attack you want armor. Gun fights are dangerous!

3-Personally the times I might not want armor are roughly as follows:

-Situations where the risk of contact are minimal and speed is of the essence. Say a person is acting as a runner between some sort of a base and a patrol or outlying group. The risk of contact is very low otherwise this would be a deliberate patrrol. The runner is going to check up on that group, pass some orders/ messages and new frequencies/ link up or dead drop locations. The runner might be carrying a rifle, a camel back with 2 spare mags, small first aid and survival kits, a knife and if applicable written orders/ maps/ comms cards.

-The added (roughly 20lb) of a plate carrier means I would not be able to carry a sufficient sustainment load. This is particularly applicable when the risk of immediate violence is minimal. Say a group is going to do a LRS type mission and set up an over watch an area to gather intelligence. They are going to infiltrate at night and stay in position for 3-4 days. Their goals are to watch, take notes, draw sketches and take pictures. The location being watched is not actively patrolled by the opposition, say it is an electric sub station vs a combat outpost or something. We would need to bring a fair bit of food and a lot of water to make that work. Hauling say a rifle, 20 pounds of kit, a 40-50 pound ruck and 5 gallons of water a piece would suck. Doing that with another 20 pounds might well not be feasible.

This would extend to situations where a patrol is unable to project their force far enough due to lack of sheer physical ability to carry weight. Doing the math a 4 day patrol is probably a bridge too far with the addition of body armor, especially if water resupply en route is not available. The math just doesn’t work.

– Situations where we need to do all manner of work and the risk of violence is present but minimal. One can work a lot more efficiently without being encumbered. Say the state of things is such that folks clearing rubble or cutting wood feel the need to carry pistol and wear a light battle belt/ patrol belt. Maybe they carry rifles and maybe they keep them within a couple steps reach while working. That is a realistic load for a person to wear while doing hard work. Add much more and the effort becomes self defeating.

Yesterday’s blog post, The Christian-Agrarian Work Ethic, brought a comment that I am going to post here and reply to. The reason being, it reflects the modern mindset towards agrarianism in the 21st century, and the common misunderstandings about agrarianism. So, this is a great opportunity to clarify some things. I’ve written about this all before but it has been awhile, and few people have read all my writings here over the past ten years 🙂

The Comment

“You do realize that if everyone returned to an agrarian lifestyle that we wouldn’t have transportation, communication, healthcare, and a whole lot of other fields that make life healthy, pleasant and livable. Yes, we need farmers, and ranchers, but we also need almost every other worker also. I appreciate all the hard workers out there, not just the farmers. My husband in a retired Marine, now a school teacher; my father was a school teacher; his father was a painter/paperhanger; another grandfather owned a dry cleaning shop and was a tailor; another great-grandfather was a carpenter. I have brothers who are engineers and nephews who are in many of the trades (electricians, welders, plumbers). Unless you want to live like they did in the 18th and 19th centuries, we need workers of all kinds, and all honest work is honorable. We live in rural Iowa (though I was raised in suburban San Diego) and watch in wonder and amazement at the miles of fields of corn and beans raised here. I would not enjoy trying to raise all my own food; it would be too much work and never allow me to sew, quilt, write and enjoy travel. While I admire you in all your efforts to live the life you want, I don’t wish that kind of life for everyone. Diverse specialization enhances life for the majority. Just an opinion here, from my 58 years on earth.”

My Response

First, the excerpts from Mr. Nutting’s essay were primarily a celebration of the autonomy (freedom) and satisfaction found in the down-to-earth work of a homestead. Such work is vastly different from the common drudgery that so many modern-world workers experience as dispensable cogs on the wheels of various jobs in the industrial order.

Yes, there is honor in honorable work, but there is rarely the freedom and satisfaction that comes with honorable, creative, productive work done on one’s homestead.

That is no secret. Dissatisfaction with industrial-world jobs (“working for the man”) has been a driving force behind every back-to-the land movement (of which there have been many) since the industrial age started.

Willis Nutting’s essay does not imply that everyone should be a farmer, or that one need be a farmer to experience the human fulfillment found in agrarian work. He himself was an educator and, according to his biography, lived an agrarian lifestyle. His essay speaks of men working their industrial jobs for the necessary income and then, instead of pursuing industrial-world amusements, recreations or leisure in their spare time, they pursue productive, creative work.

That pattern for living an agrarian lifestyle is the one I have pursued most of my life. One can be a healthcare worker, engineer, teacher, tradesman, et., etc. and still pursue an agrarian lifestyle.

As for the world not being pleasant and livable if everyone returned to an agrarian lifestyle, that’s not an issue at all. Everyone will never (voluntarily) return to an agrarian lifestyle. Only those who see the wisdom of it. Or, from the Christian-agrarian point of view, only those who are called to it.

When it comes to understanding modern agrarianism, the matter of modern context must be taken into account. Modern-world agrarians can not live in an industrial world just like pre-industrial agrarians, and few would want to. The fact is, in many ways, it’s easier today to live an agrarian lifestyle than ever before in history. Electricity, the internal combustion engine, and all the helping mechanisms that come with those two world-changing technologies are something I happen to really appreciate. I also like it that I can use the internet as a creative, entrepreneurial tool to be able to break free from an industrial-world job and be home on my land every day.

I think it is worth defining what it means to be an agrarian, or to live an agrarian lifestyle. My fundamental definition of an agrarian…

An agrarian is someone who deliberately husbands (responsibly cares for) a section of land, working to make it productive, and drawing sustenance from it, while improving and preserving it for future generations.

That definition is like a seed. You plant it in your life. It puts down roots. It grows bigger. In time, it becomes a tree that bears all kinds of good fruit (the tree needs to be continually pruned, but that’s another story).

You don’t have to raise all your own food to be an agrarian, but agrarians naturally love to work the soil and grow food. You can be an agrarian and still sew and quilt and write and travel (though it’s hard to be a serious agrarian and travel a lot, or so it seems to me). Agrarian people are hands-on people, They naturally gravitate to being busy and creative in many different ways.

And a final clarification…. The typical modern mind is historically parochial. That is, it assumes that life in the old days (before electricity and internal combustion engines) was unbearably terrible; that we nowadays are so much smarter and better off than our poor, brutish ancestors.

Well, America today has it’s share of poor, and brutish people. But, more to the point, people of old got along just fine without electricity and internal combustion engines. The agrarian village-society of early New England had a lot going for it. It was a flourishing culture. And, lacking all manner of electronic amusements and distractions, there was more time for creative pursuits, human interaction, and true community.

Agrarians (especially Christian-agrarians) are people who look at the “old paths” of previous agrarian culture with respect and curiosity, seeking to rediscover wisdom and worthy ways of life that were lost through the ravages of industrialism. The goal is not to create the old agrarian way of life, but a neo-agrarian way of life. Everyone who pursues this way of life for themselves and their families creates an island of grounded sanity in an insane industrial world that offers no real hope, and is coming apart at the seams.

Halloween and the new season of The Walking Dead has me thinking about how we would really survive a zombie apocalypse. There is going to be several parts to this series. Any of these tips can be used in any type of apocalypse. Not just zombies.

Let’s get started:

WEAPONS

The type of weapon you choose can make a huge difference. I am a firm believer in having several different types. Some people think to just have guns and ammo, but they make a ton of noise and you will eventually run out of ammo.

You need to have swords, baseball bats, golf clubs, knives, axes, crossbows, crowbar, machete and any other type of weapons. You could easily make your own using a club and anything sharp to put into it to make it deadly. Going for the head of a zombie will be easy with any type of weapon that you can hit them with.

The best type of weapon will allow you to keep a distance away from the zombie while you are putting it out of its misery. You want it to be low maintenance and be long lasting. It should be something that is easy to use.PART 2 SOON –

Microgreens are essentially immature plants, such as greens, lettuce and herbs, that are harvested when they are about an inch in height after about 10 days to three weeks of sprouting. Just about any lettuce, green or herb can be grown as a microgreen and harvested for powerful plant nutrition.

Microgreens can be grown as single or mixed plant varieties (such as mesclun mixes), and the flavors range from mild to spicy.

Specific examples of plants that can be grown as microgreens include mustard, kale, endive, arugula, beet greens, spinach, tatsoi, radish greens and watercress.

Why Grow Microgreens?

Microgreens have a very concentrated flavor compared to the original vegetable, and can be used in a variety of dishes, such as adding them to salads, sandwiches or stir-fry. They also can be grown during winter, helping you get your “garden fix” when temperatures are frigid.

They contain many of the health benefits that sprouts do, but unlike sprouts, which are grown only in water, microgreens are grown in soil or another growing medium where they absorb minerals, adding more nutrition. Microgreens undergo more photosynthesis than sprouts do, which increases their nutrition even more. They also have more fiber content than do sprouts.

For example, leafy greens are good sources of beta-carotene, iron and calcium, and dark leafy greens such as kale and chard are high in lutein and zeaxanthin.

Microgreens require minimal amounts of sunlight and space, and therefore can easily be grown inside homes within compact spaces, including in your kitchen or on your windowsill.

Microgreens are expensive to buy at grocery stores, making growing your own a very economical option. By doing this, you also will be able to avoid pesticides.

How to Grow Microgreens

Materials:

A suitable growing container with drainage holes. This can be just about any type of container that you can grow plants in, including a nursery flat, takeout boxes, peat pots or traditional plant pots.

Organic potting mix or soilless seed-starting mix (with vermiculite).

Can be either microgreen mixes or any sort of greens, lettuce or herb that you would like to grow.

Lightweight plastic or clear plastic domed lid.

Image source: planetnatural

Directions:

1. Fill your chosen container with the potting mix or seed-starting mix. Place a drip tray or a saucer underneath to catch excess water.

2. Scatter your seeds so that they are about 1/8 to ¼ inch apart and lightly cover them with approximately 1/8 inch of soil/potting mix.

3. Gently and thoroughly water the seeds. If you are using a soilless seed-starting medium, sprinkle the vermiculite on top of the soil just prior to watering.

4. Place your growing container in a spot that will receive at least four hours of sunlight every day. South-facing windows are best, but eastern or western-facing sunlight is also sufficient.

5. For optimal sprouting conditions (warm and moist), place the lightweight plastic or a clear plastic dome lid over your growing container. After the seeds sprout, remove the plastic.

6. Keep the soil medium consistently moist like a wrung-out sponge, but not too soggy. If the soil medium is too wet, the sprouting plants cannot properly take root.

Harvesting Microgreens and Starting the Next Crop

Microgreens can be harvested in about 1 ½ to three weeks after sprouting, depending on the size of microgreens that you would like to harvest. They are ready to be harvested once they have developed their first set of true leaves. The very first leaves that develop after germination are the seed leaves, which don’t resemble the true leaves of the plant.

To harvest the microgreens, snip them with scissors just above the soil level.

Because microgreens are essentially sprouts and are in such an early stage of development, you cannot re-grow a second crop from the stems of harvested microgreens. To grow another crop, scatter new seeds and cover with soil. You can remove the old roots if you wish, but they are a good source of organic matter if left where they are.

By planting a new crop of microgreens a few days to one week after planting the first one, you will have a continuous supply throughout the year, even during winter when your outdoor garden is still “sleeping.”

Have you grown microgreens? What advice would you add? Share it in the section below:

No ratings yet. Editor’s Note: This post has been generously contributed by Caitlyn Robinson. It’s not a secret that self-reliance plays an essential role in a SHTF scenario. Besides the basic knowledge about making a fire and a shelter, purifying water and dressing wounds, you also have to make sure you have an ample […]

No ratings yet. Editor’s Note: This post has been generously contributed by Caitlyn Robinson. It’s not a secret that self-reliance plays an essential role in a SHTF scenario. Besides the basic knowledge about making a fire and a shelter, purifying water and dressing wounds, you also have to make sure you have an ample […]

Yes, the day is finally here! Little ghosts and goblins are excitedly anticipating the candy haul of the year! Caring parents want to keep a balance between sugar, excitement, and spooky characters!

So, how about sending our family off right with a Halloween inspired dinner before they go door knocking tonight? Many of these items came from my Pantry and my refrigerator. You may be surprised about how many of these items you actually have on hand!

Halloween entrees from your Pantry and Fridge!

I used Garbanzo beans and Tahini from my Pantry to make some delicious hummus! I had a particularly dark colored Tahini, so it made things look particularly haunting!

Next I put grapes on scewers. Then I added mini chocolate chips as eyes (using cream cheese as the ‘glue’). These became delicious caterpillars!

Using some of the hummus I put dollops on grape tomatoes or small cucumber slices topped with olive slices to make…

A Spooky-eyed Salad!

Instead of traditional breadsticks, cut the ends and shape the bread into bones! They sure tasted great with Pumpkin Soup that I made from my canned Pumpkin chunks!

What is Halloween without some spooky ghosts! I put Rooster Senior in charge of making these. He was asked to cut the bananas in half and use mini chips for the eyes and a big chip (pushed in backwards) for the mouth. Let’s just say we got some free form ghosts. I also put some mini-chocolate chips on the plate for people to dip their ghosts in if they wished. (See the cute caterpillars above?)

I added peeled Clementines and inserted a piece of celery as the stem. The hummus above has ‘witches fingers’ (made from celery sticks and an almond fingernail tacked on with a bit of hummus) sticking out from the bowl of Hummus. Fun, easy, and healthy!

Fill up your Trick-or-Treaters on this delicious, quick and healthy meal before they head out of your Front door!

Have happy and Safe Halloween!

Detecting wireless networks can be really handy. Using the tool outlined below, you can determine if you have nearby wireless interference, hidden access points, SSID names, proximity, and more.

The Android App Wifi Analyzer is a must have in your tablet/phone toolbox. Link to Google Play Store. The video below demonstrates how to use this application.

The cool thing about Wifi Analyzer is that it is not limited to “visible” networks. Every wireless network has a SSID (“Service Set IDentifier”). Here are some things you need to know about SSID’s.

Password Protection: A SSID without a password is called an open network. These days, most SSID’s have passwords. But, there are varying levels of password protection.

There is WEP (almost entirely insecure with easily obtainable passwords).

There is WPA/WPA2 Personal (fairly insecure and will a little skill still easy to crack).

There is also WPA Enterprise (crackable with a bit more effort)

Hidden SSID’s: If you are familiar with your home router, you may also be familiar with hidden SSID. When you hide an SSID it will not show up in the list of available networks on your device (unless you are connected to it). Hiding a SSID is not secure.

Network Channels: Again, if you are familiar with your home router, you may have seen a setting in it to adjust the channel(s) that are available. Like when you received the router, it was set to automatic (which lets the wifi router select another channel if it detects interference).

Here are some ways to crack WEP passwords. There are videos for Windows, OS X, and Kali Linux. If you aren’t sure what Kali Linux is or how it may be used, no worries, we will be covering it in a post within the next few days.

With Ting, You own the phone and by purchasing, you will also receive a $25 service credit.

I’ve been on Ting for over 2 years and love it. We have multiple devices on Ting and I love Ting so much that I am pleased to act as a Ting Agent and pass along some savings to you.

With Ting, you own your phone and have full control over your usage, features, and a device dashboard. You can add and remove service for devices yourself and there is never any contract! Why not start saving some dough today.

At ePrepper.net, we are going to start a series that I am passionate about. Hacking. Now, I’m not talking about “Black Hat” (illegal hacking). But rather, we will be focusing on “White Hat” (the good guys).

If you find yourself asking the question “Why on earth would I need these skills?” then you may be one of those people that thinks a survival situation will automatically mean the grid is down and all technology is broken. But, even in the most extreme prepper scenarios (nuclear warfare or some other major event), technology skills can come in very handy.

Preppers should be planning for grid down events. You should know how to charge up your technology using solar, battery inverters, etc. But, you should also know how to maximize that technology. Maximizing the tech is where you may need some skill development, or maybe even just some skill sharpening.

As a first in the series, I want to quickly go over what hacking is and what it is not.

Dictionary.com has two definitions for hacking in the context of computers and technology. Definition A revolves around the creative aspect of getting more out of a technology device or system. Definition B is focused on the negative aspects of intentionally breaking systems or circumventing how a system is designed.

Are you already of the hacker mindset? Kevin Mitnick, one of the world’s first famous hackers, authors a book called The Art of Deception. This is an easy read that gives you great examples of how a hacker thinks about problems. Mitnick uses technology skills, but also knows how to read people and use “social engineering” as a form of attack. When you boil it all down, if you are the kind of person that likes to figure out how something works or modify the use of something for some other purpose, then you already have a hacker mindset.

I will point out that Mitnick, after his stint in jail, is focused on penetration testing, or the art of testing the security of various systems (all of which is performed under authorization of the companies he is paid to infiltrate). He is considered a “white hat” hacker. I will not and do not condone using any skill mentioned in this or any following posts be used for destructive purposes.

Hopefully a picture is being painted in your mind of what a hacker is. My mother tells the story of me as a child always have a fascination with taking things apart and putting them back together. She has a specific story of me figuring out how to make a broken music box function again by putting my finger into the device a certain way to make it work. I was three years old and I don’t even remember it. But, I can tell you, I love to take things apart. I love to tweak how things work. Whether it is a computer, a phone, or some other gadget, I am always curious.

Curiosity is a driving force for the hacker. You are always trying to make it better, faster, last longer, be stronger, or just have an insatiable curiosity and desire to know more.

Hacking is not using a tool for which is was already designed. For example, there are people in the hacking world that are known as “script kiddies.” This is someone that takes a script, a program, or some code that someone else has designed and just use it with minimal modification. This is like going to a hardware store and buying a sledge hammer and using it to put holes in walls. The sledge was already designed to do things like that and take down a house… so you are only using it the way it was intended.

A hacker is more likely to take something like a “screw driver” and pop a door off of its hinges. The screw driver wasn’t really designed to pop off hinges, it was designed to be used with screws. But, the screw driver functions well in this fashion. Think of the show MacGyver… if you share the same mindset, then you are probably a hacker.

As we discuss “Hacking as a Prepper Skill,” we may be talking about tools, apps, programs, etc., that can be useful to you or your team.

This article was written by J.D. Heyes and originally published at Natural News.com.

Editor’s Comment: Only in the bizarro-world controlled by the banksters would cash money become a liability and pseudo-criminalized form of payment (which is actually an instrument of debt).

But as SHTF has covered at length, the big banks are much more interesting in having everyone under their control, and on watch through the cashless control surveillance grid.

WAR ON CASH: Banks to start charging for cash deposits

Few could have envisioned it even just a few years ago, but it’s happening now, and on an ever-widening scale. More big U.S. banks are shunning cash, because the banking system has become so dependent on other “assets” that large cash deposits actually pose a threat to their financial health, according to The Wall Street Journal.

State Street Corporation, a Boston-based institution that manages assets for institutional investors, has, for the first time, begun charging some customers for making large cash deposits, according to people familiar with the development.

And the largest U.S. bank in terms of assets — JP Morgan Chase & Co. — has dramatically cut “unwanted” deposits to the tune of $150 billion this year alone, in part by charging customers fees.

What gives? What kind of world do we live in when banks no longer want cash?

As the WSJ reported:

“The developments underscore a deepening conflict over cash. Many businesses have large sums on hand and opportunities to profitably invest it appear scarce. But banks don’t want certain kinds of cash either, judging it costly to keep, and some are imposing fees after jawboning customers to move it.”

As usual, the problem originated largely in Washington, D.C.

Criminalizing cash?

The paper said the banks’ actions are being driven by low interest rates (set by the Fed) that eat into profits, as well as “regulations adopted since the financial crisis to gird banks against funding disruptions,” adding in a separate report that a number of large financial institutions have become more dependent on buying and selling stocks, bonds and commodities like oil.

The latest round of fees for large deposits stems from regulators’ deeming them risky. They are sometimes dubbed hot-money deposits that analysts believe is likely to flee quickly in a crisis (think runs on Greek banks recently, which the government eventually curbed).

Agreed upon a year ago in September and managed by the Federal Reserve and other regulators, the rule covering liquidity coverage ratios forces banks and financial institutions to retain high-quality liquid assets — like central bank reserves and government debt — to cover anticipated deposit losses over a 30-day period (creative way for the federal government to continue financing its overspending — by forcing private banks now to hold government debt). Under the rules, banks are required to retain up to 40 percent against certain corporate deposits and as high as 100 percent against some hedge fund deposits, WSJ reported.

“At some point you wonder whether there will be a shortage of financial institutions willing to take on these balances,” Kelli Moll, head of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP’s hedge-fund practice in New York, told the paper.

Moll added that the subject of where to actually put cashhas become something of an interesting conversation as hedge funds are turned away by the traditional banking sector.

Dodd-Frank is to the financial industry what Obamacare is to health care

WSJ further explained the phenomenon and fallout:

“Jerome Schneider, head of Pacific Investment Management Co.’s short-term and funding desk, which advises corporate and institutional clients, said that as a result of the bank actions, he and his customers have discussed as cash alternatives boosting investments in U.S. Treasury bonds, ultrashort-duration bond funds and money-market funds.”

“Clients have been put on warning,” Schneider said, when it comes to cash.

The rules essentially criminalizing large depositors of cash stem from the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial “reform” law — a “reform” that did to the banking industry what Obamacare has done to the health care industry.

The law’s two primary authors — Democrats Chris Dodd of Connecticut and Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, both of whom are now out of Congress — were also backers of Clinton-era housing rules said by experts to have caused the 2008 financial crisis. So, in essence, Dodd-Frank is punishing banks for rules that the two of them (along with most other Democrats and too many Republicans — and Bill Clinton’s signature on the legislation)actually caused.

In the meantime, there appears to be no end to the federal government’s meddling in both the financial industry and just about every other facet of American life.

Causing more problems than it solves — that’s a classic congressional move.

It is getting to be that time of the year again. Wondering what we will buy for our family and friends. Here is a list that might help you if you have any survivalist, homesteaders, etc on your list of if you are one and want to help your family and friends become more prepared.

In a TEOTWAWKI situation, we may find ourselves having to dress wild game anything from rats to deer. Because we cannot afford to get sick under these conditions we need to be more careful about protecting ourselves from diseases while dressing the game.

There are numerous diseases that you can contact while dressing out the game or from the ticks and fleas that are leaving them. As soon as the game begins to cool the ticks, fleas and other parasites will leave and look for new homes. Hopeful it will not be you.

While there are many potential diseases that you can contact from wild game we will mainly concentrate on four. Rabies, plague, rocky mountain spotted fever and lyme disease

Rabies, the virus is not present in the meat itself, but in the surrounding nerve tissue, as well as in the brain, spinal cord and the animal’s saliva. Rabies is only transmitted when the virus is introduced into an open wound or to mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth). For more information on rabies see Rabies – After TEOTWAWKI Rabies Will be a Major Threat

If for any reason you suspect the possibility of rabies or other diseases, avoid touching the animal’s mouth, brain or spinal cord and use the following safety.

Wear goggles and long rubber or plastic protective gloves while field dressing, skinning, butchering and processing the meat.

After butchering, wash hands with soap and water, and wash any contaminated clothing and the work area. (this should apply if possible whenever you field dress or butcher an animal)

Disinfect gloves and butchering utensils in a solution of one part household bleach to 20 parts water for twenty minutes.

Cook game meat thoroughly. Heat destroys the rabies virus and other disease organisms that might be present.

Freezing will not destroy the rabies virus. Precautions should be taken while thawing meat.

Fleas and ticks. Here the problem is to avoid getting them on you. As soon as the game starts to cool, the fleas and ticks will start to look for a new home. You need to avoid become their new host. Because you may be hunting at different times of the year, both fleas and ticks may be more prevalent. Both lyme disease and rocky mountain spotted fever are spread by tick bites. Fleas are a carrier of plague, you can contact it from their bits. For more information on these diseases, see the following posts.

For further information on these diseases as well as many less common ones see an excellent article published by the American Veterinarian Medical Association, Disease precautions for hunters this article covers symptoms and contains some information on treatment in both animals and humans. This is a situation in which prevention is worth a pound of cure.

If you are an educator or parent with a frustrated child who is attempting to memorize the multiplication tables? Read on.

Hundreds of kids have learned their times tables in an hour using a very fun & easy to understand animated video. The Times Tales DVD is a two-part video series that uses stories to teach multiplication to kids. The videos use cute, simple stories that provide students with a “memory peg,” allowing them to quickly recall otherwise abstract multiplication facts. As students progress through the video, they’ll learn multiplication without even knowing it! It’s that easy!

About the Times Tales DVD – What is included?

https://youtu.be/uTHAO6S65Xc

Animated video comes on a DVD

CD includes printable worksheets and flashcards

What Educents customers are saying about Times Tales:

“Fun and effective! Did in 2 weeks what other curriculum didn’t do in a year!”

“My kids did NOT want to like this when I first opened it up, but they ended up liking it a LOT! They kept trying to “figure it out” so it took a while for my 2nd and 4th grader to just relax and watch the stories. We followed the recommended pace, and in 2 weeks this DVD solidified what other methods could not do for them in a year! Even my 3 yr old shouts out the answers to some of the quiz questions! Of course she doesn’t understand what she’s learning yet, but when her time comes, learning her multiplication facts will be painless and easy 🙂 Definitely recommend this program to anyone who has stressed over drilling boring multiplication facts into their kids! You WILL Love it! :)” -ML

“I can’t even imagine how many less papers my 5th grade teacher would have had to grade if we had this in my elementary school! We did multiplication drills every single day during our 2nd semester! Using this DVD really beats that.” – Celena J.

Times Tales Animated DVD & Printable Worksheets

Times Tales teaches kids the upper times tables without rote memorization. Students can simply follow along with the entertaining story. As they progress, they’ll be guided into associating the stories they’ve learned with real math. You can always find the Times Tales DVD at a discount on Educents.com!

Lets face it, we are absolutely dependent on electricity. Everything we do in one way or another was created because of electricity. As preppers we are concerned about many different disasters, and the possibility of being without power goes along with many of them.

It doesn’t need to be an EMP strike or a terrorist attack that takes the grid down, we could lose power at any time because of weather or natural disasters. If you are like me when the power goes out everything you are doing stops. If you are lucky, it happens during the day and everything goes silent. If it happens at night that’s a whole different ball game.

Along with having food and water, having a lights out kit and alternative energy options are at the top of the list for preppers. Not only will the lights be out, but your ability to cook, stay warm (or cool) or use the bathroom can and will all be affected.

Every year in the fall I do a detailed inventory of my prepping supplies, check expiration’s and make sure everything is in working order. So, I figured while I had my lights out kit and supplies out I would do a video and article about what supplies you might want to have to prepare for a power outage.

The Lights Out Kit

I call this my lights out kit, but it’s really more of a place that I put the supplies I don’t want touched, and I don’t want anyone to dig through on a daily basis.

What it’s Not…

It’s not everything you have or need. There are probably a lot of supplies that you have that won’t fit in a plastic tote, and there are a lot of supplies that are scattered around the house that you use regularly. We have items like candles, lighters, flashlights and solar chargers that we use regularly that don’t go in this kit.

It’s not for fuel or lamp oils. You don’t want to store kerosene or lamp oil in the same container with your other supplies, and if you store it in the garage you need to make sure everything in it can handle the extreme temperature changes…more on this later.

What it is…

It’s for stuff that you don’t want touched. The kids are notorious for taking batteries or mixing up dead batteries with new batteries, so I like to have a stash set up that I know for a fact that I have the supplies that I think I have.

It’s for stuff you won’t use regularly. Like the saying goes, 1 is none, and 2 is 1. I have supplies around the house that I hope will be there when we need them, and I have supplies stored in my lights out kit that I know will be there when I need them.

It’s an easy go to for family. I like having this kit setup because the last thing I want to do is be running around the house trying to find batteries and flashlights, and if I am gone I know that the family can just go grab the lights out kit and have everything they need.

Some supplies can’t handle extreme temperatures. If you store this (or any supplies) in the garage or shed you need to make sure items like batteries and food are not stored in them. Contrary to the belief that batteries can be stored in a freezer, batteries need to be stored at a temperature between 60 and 85 degrees to get maximum shelf life.

Do not store liquids or fuels in the kit. If you have oil lamps or supplies that use other fuels you don’t want to store them with your other supplies. Water bottles are another no no, the water will expand when it freezes, cracking the container and leaving a big mess when the temperatures warm up.

Store clothes or blankets just for packing purposes. You are not going to have room to store all your extra blankets and cloths in this lights out kit, but why not use some for packing material. Packing paper might be a good idea (fire starting material) but cloths, gloves and blankets give you a little extra packing protection.

Keep in mind, this doesn’t need to be packed like you are shipping it, but the less room for your supplies to move around, the less chance for damaged supplies.

Keeping Warm or Cool

Too Much is Never Enough

This seems like a lot of supplies right? Well, if you need to go an extended period of time without power your lights out kit is going to seem like it’s not enough.

That being said, if you only have a fraction of these supplies you will be more prepared to handle a power outage than most of the people in the USA. At the very least, you won’t need to go to the store and fight the masses for the last set of AA batteries.

FRANKENSTEIN

After you take the kids out for the tricks and treats tonight sit down and share some old time radio with them. On this special Halloween broadcast we have 5 short stories for you… Frankenstein!

The Australian production of FRANKENSTEIN starring George Edwards in many of the roles (people often made fun of the way Orson Welles would play two roles on Mercury Theater radio productions but George plays seven in this and about as many in DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE—not so much because of his ego but because there just wasn’t enough money to hire all the actors they needed for these full length adaptations). This easrned him the title of “The Man with a Thousand Voices”.
The show was originally broadcast on 2GB in Sydney in 1931.Books on Frankenstein HERE!

Listen to this broadcast of FRANKENSTEIN… Go to Listen and Chat Tonight 9:00pm/Est 8:00pm/Ct 6:00pm/Pt Player will be added here following broadcast!

Get the 24/7 app for your smart phone HERE! Put the 24/7 player on your web site HERE! Listen to archived shows of all our hosts . Go to schedules tabs at top of page!

A few weeks ago: The only thing that Sampson was doing for preparedness was sleeping in the truck while I fished… This weekly post is an open forum (any topic) enabling you to voice your opinions, concerns, questions, and to also let others know what you have done this week for your preparedness. The more […]

How to Make 3000+ Calorie Survival Food Ration Bars I posted a similar article the other day on how to make survival bars but that had nothing on the one I am sharing with you today! I think the last bar had 2000 calories, this survival bar has over 3000. Having a small bar with …

How to Escape from Zip Ties I can’t believe I haven’t shared this information with you all before, I am so sorry. This knowledge, believe it or not, is very important to know. Kidnappers or people who want to tie you up to maybe loot your house most likely will use duct tape or zip ties. …

It’s Spooky, It’s Halloween!
James Walton “I Am Liberty”

We are closing in on another spooky Halloween. Lighten up and enjoy it. You probably saw me about two shows back sporting the Deathstroke mask and yes I will be dressing up. No I will not be fighting my sons for their candy but I will be enjoying the festivities. Life is good in the four walls of our homes. Its just what’s outside that is bad.

Renowned sculpture Auguste Rodin is have his work exhibited at the local museum in November. This is very exciting to a guy like me. Whatever that means. He was one of the great artists of our time and anytime. Thinking about that has brought me to some conclusions about the power of Western Civilization and what’s missing in our day to day lives.

Oh yea. Another little headline. China is processing your chicken now. Also the USDA is so cool with it that they don’t even want it to be on the label. There will be no way of knowing if your chicken has been inspected by a well trained American making a decent hourly wage or a Chinese woman making 10 cents a month. Hungry?

How To Find Out Where The Property Lines Are For Your House Have you ever truly wondered where you property lines actually are? Do you own land which is measured by metes and bounds? or do you want to buy property but the realtor has not places the boundaries on? This article can help you. …

So tonight is the controversial holiday, known as Halloween. One can go online to search out whether Halloween is an acceptable holiday for Christians, or if it is really an evil day, celebrated by Satanists and occultists. For each site you visit, I suspect you will find a different answer. There will be those sites who declare it to be a benign evening of “tricks and treats” for the youngsters, while others will warn of its demonic undertones. There will be attempts to “Christianize” the holiday by offering Trunk-or-Treat events (popular among churches) to bring Halloween to parking lots where kids go from car to car and get candy. There will be countless Fall Festivals innocently celebrated, and there will be people who simply don’t care, accurately saying that all holidays have pagan roots and it is what you make of it today that matters. And that’s exactly why we should care about this controversial holiday. Whether a devout Christian or a non-religious secularist, most people believe that Halloween is a night of candy and costumes and autumn celebrations/festivals that ALL people can share. But what about the satanists and witches? Shouldn’t we care what it is to them? Known as “Samhein” to this latter group, Halloween is a transitional time, and an initial stage of a process in which the veil between life and death grows thin. I found a Christian website (Logos Resource Pages) that featured an article by Pastor David Phillips that seemed to offer some straightforward information on the holiday. Consider what the following self-declared witches had to say about the holiday… “Halloween is one of the four Great Sabbats of the witches that everyone has heard about. To witches, Halloween is a serious occasion, however merrily celebrated. It is the old Celtic Eve of Samhain. With the coming of Christianity, the Church tried to Christianize the old festival by naming November 1st as All Saints Day, or All Hallows as the old term was. Thus Samhain Eve became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. But attempts to discourage the pagan celebrations were so unavailing that the festival was eventually banned from the Church calendar. It was not until 1928 that the Church of England formally restored All Hallows to its calendar, on the assumption that the old pagan associations of Halloween were at last really dead and forgotten; a supposition that was certainly premature.” Another witch’s testimony: “All the Great Festivals of Paganism, wherever they may be found, correspond in common with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and other natural annual cycles of life. Most of these remain with us today, in more or less disguised form, as the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas (Yule), Easter (Ostara), May Day (Beltane), Thanksgiving (Harvest Home), Halloween (Samhain) and even Groundhogs day (Oimelc).” Still, another confirmation of Halloween’s importance to occultists: “Salem (Massachusetts) is a mecca, especially around Samhain. It is our holiday, our new year, and a lot of witches come here from all over the world”. As Pastor Phillips concluded, Witches and Satanists love Halloween. They get a lot of media coverage around this time of year. It’s good P.R. for them because the coverage, as a rule, portrays them in a favorable light. In addition, Halloween generates interest in “the craft” and is good for recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins, Founder and President of Apologetics Information Ministries, put it: “With increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming out of the broom closet. Many witches are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance.” And they are receiving it! In 2009, a federal judge ruled that a federal correctional facility in Jefferson County, Colorado must allow a prisoner to perform a Satanic ritual on Halloween. At the time, Judge Edward Nottingham issued a preliminary injunction allowing the ritual, even though the prisoner admitted it included a destruction ritual, in which he visualized the death of his enemies. In 1987, the Maine State Prison allowed members of a witch coven (the Coven of Dawn) to hold a two-hour service on the feast day they call Samhain (Halloween), after the Druidic festival of year’s end. “This is our time to give praise to our lord and lady for the bountiful harvest”, said the founder of the goddess-oriented coven. He said that 75 inmates have been initiated into the religion since its start in 1981. That was 28 years ago — imagine how many prisoners have become part of the coven since then. But it is not only the prison system that has let these occult and satanic movements begin to thrive. Our military now recognizes Wiccans as a legitimate religious group, and I have personally seen that evidenced at Fort Sam Houston and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio. Although there is an obvious attempt to mainstream these “religions”, we must never lose sight of the fact that modern day witches and satanists still worship demon gods and goddesses, cast spells, practice bizarre and immoral sexual rituals, and certain individuals and groups offer animal and human sacrifices. Texe Marrs, a controversial New Age researcher, nevertheless offers advice that is hard to ignore: “Our own research confirms that on this unholy night [Halloween], witches’ covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)”

And can you really ignore the boast of Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, when he said, “I’m glad that Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year.” Have you ever considered the proliferation of movies such as “Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Halloween”, the “Friday the 13th” series, the “Saw” franchise, or the glamorization of vampires in the “Twilight” series and “True Blood”? Have you ever wondered if they were pure fiction — or if they were created by someone with real knowledge of such horrors? Are you concerned at all that these kinds of spectacles are desensitizing our kids by their glorification of violence, death, mutilation and gore; and setting them up for the acceptance of real-life satanic rituals? I know there are some people who will dismiss the warnings about the possible demonic implications of Halloween. But I think that we do that at the risk of our children. The celebration of Halloween can be an effective tool to lure them into the occult and/or to become victims of satanic rituals. Current headlines have certainly shown us that evil and wickedness are on the rise; with more and more lurid stories of bizarre and sadistic rituals happening almost every day. It will be interesting to see what the headlines reveal in the coming days, as to the unholy celebrations that will be taking place tonight. In the end, it is up to you to decide what you think about this commonly accepted holiday. But for me, I know the power that the Enemy wishes to use against us, and I will not only be on guard tonight, but will be praying for protection and authority to thwart his attacks. Let me leave you with these frightening words from a high priestess of the Church of Satan: “As a child drawn to darker passions from birth, I always delighted in the fear and fantasies of Halloween. It gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the Devil, either stumbling, tittering and nervous in the arms of the Black Prince, or boldly, ravenously sharing in the sensual excesses and fright of others on this magical, unholy night. Now, birth and death have, for me, become inextricably interwoven into this day.”

1 Corinthians 10:21 “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”

The words and thoughts that follow come from an essay titled The Better Life, written by Willis D. Nutting. They are an excellent analysis of the beauty, the inherent value, and the “rightness” of autonomous agrarian work, as opposed to working as a drone in the the industrial system. I found this essay in The Rural Solution: Modern Catholic Voices on Going “Back to the Land.” The book is thin, but pithy. It is a clear and compelling call for Catholic families to flee the cities and suburbs and return to the land.I have written here in the past about the Catholic Land Movement and the book, Flee To The Fields. And I have written about C.F. Marley, a remarkable man who introduced me to the Catholic-agrarian movement (my opinion of Catholic-agrarianism is expressed in my C.F. Marley essay).The following excerpts refer to men but, of course, you can (and should) substitute the word “woman” for man, for this discussion equally applies to all of mankind.

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“One of the most dismal things about the truly urban man is that he does not understand work, for he has not experienced it. Of course he knows physical exhaustion and mental drudgery; he has nervous breakdowns and high blood pressure, and he dies of coronary thrombosis—but all these things happen to him not because he works but because he does not work. This requires explanation.For real work to be done several elements must necessarily be present: (1) the mind conceives something to be done; (2) the hand, aided by tools, carries out the conception through the manipulation of certain (3) raw materials. The result is (4) a new creation, either something made, or some change brought about in the physical situation. When a man presides in this whole process—when his mind and hand work together, using his tools and his materials, to produce something which, when it is produced, is his, then he is really working. And this work is one of the greatest things man can do, both in the way of education and of satisfaction, for in it he is realizing a part of his likeness to God. Man is not only homo sapiens; he is also homo faber, man the maker. It is his nature to work. When he can not work he is restless and discontented.In our modern world, with craftsmen almost extinct and artists an infinitesimal and professional minority, the rural home supplies almost the only setting in which a person can do work. Elsewhere the planner does not carry out his plans and therefore performs only part of what he is fitted to do. The man who toils does so by carrying out the plans made by someone else, and he performs only a mutilated function. Neither of them possesses the thing made as a result of the planning and the toil. That belongs to someone who has done nothing but furnish the money. Thus all the people concerned with the production of things are acquainted merely with isolated aspects of the work process. They are not doing what by nature they are designed to do. And as a consequence their labor is a chore, an unpleasant necessity which they indulge in as little as possible. They become abnormally interested in recreation and live for the weekend and the vacation.”

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“The opportunity for real, soul-satisfying work, so rare in our day, is found abundantly in rural living. Here a man can make long-range plans and can carry them out without exploiting his fellow man; for the things that he uses are things that exist to be used: soil, plants, animals, building materials, etc. he can live a whole life of work without once using another man as a mere means for carrying out his plans. And neither does he become a tool of someone else. With the materials at hand he can employ the splendid coordination of mind and hand to create something of value for his family. He can fulfill his real nature in real work. And this work is much more joyful than any mere recreation. As a matter of fact this work carries with it its own recreation, so that the man who works does not have to worry about how he is going to have his good times. The work itself is a good time even though it be hard. There is a joy in toil which the football player knows not. It is a quiet joy that comes from the knowledge that one has accomplished something, something of real value, and that the accomplishment is his own.Around me live several men who are “homesteaders.” They work in town or in school and live in the country. They spend long hours in the evenings working on their land. Their companions on the job or at school go to the movies or play poker in the evenings, but these men work at home. Their companions spend money; they save it. And when you talk with these men you come to realize that their interest, their real life, is in what they do at home. On the job they carry out someone else’s plans. That is drudgery. But at home they are their own masters. They are exercising their autonomy which is necessary to human dignity. These few hours of autonomy constitute for them their real life. Their rural homes give them their one chance to be human.”

Being a real prepper also means you’re constantly thinking of how to make the most of what you have, how to waste little if nothing at all and how to reuse and re-purpose what you have at hand.

Food falls into all of the categories above as it’s one of the most valuable resources we have and don’t afford to waste. So here are 5 articles that will help you with that.

1. Ten Tips for Processing Big Game

“1. Torch the hair. No matter how careful you are while skinning, some hair will end up on the meat. You can waste time picking it off with your fingers, or get down to business by burning it off using a quick pass of the butane torch.

2. Sharpen knives before (and during). When helping friends cut meat, I don’t know how many time I’ve been handed a dull blade. That’s one of the reasons I travel with my own knife roll. I start every butchering session by running each knife over a hone, then use a steel throughout the process to maintain the sharpest edge.”

“You don’t need seeds to plant a garden. Believe it or not, there are many fruits and vegetables you can regrow from table scraps. Just buy them once and you can have a never-ending supply! In this article I’m going to focus on fruits and veggies that are relatively easy to grow.

Note: Sometimes conventional produce is sprayed with chemicals to prevent sprouting and other re-growing tactics. For best results, choose organic or farm-fresh plants for your initial re-growing attempts.”

“Last winter I ran across a video on You Tube with a recipe for a homemade cold and cough remedy that looked really easy to make, so I decided to try it.

It is simple to make and it also works, making you feel better and I believe get well faster. The best part is that it is made from all natural ingredients. Since the cold and flu season is coming, I thought this was a good time to share it.”

“Place like items on the same shelf store your most used foods where they are easiest to access. Devise a system that works for you. I like to keep baking goods together, fruit storage together (canned and dehydrated), soups together, grains together, etc.

Some folks like to alphabetize because it’s how their brain works. Don’t be afraid to try a few different ways until it clicks for you. Mark Expiration Dates with sharpie in a clearly visible location Rotate – first in first out is a good rule of thumb.”

5. This Do-It-Yourself Garden Hack Is The Secret to an Abundant Garden

“My grandfather always had a robust garden filled with vegetables. His secret was rich, nutrient dense soil. He taught me that the plants we grow and soil have a symbiotic relationship.

If the soil has nutrients, the plants will thrive. That said, many gardeners forget this vital tip and tend to lean towards chemical fertilizers as a way to quickly replenish their soil and grow their plants. Overtime, this can cause the soil to become depleted of vital nutrients because the fertilizers kill or leaches out the nutritional aspects of the soil.”

When James Talboe from Valley Food Storage located in Orem, Utah contacted me, I was very excited to try their products. There are very few companies that can make a statement like this:

You can pronounce all our ingredients

No hydrogenated oils or nasty preservatives

Up to 25 years shelf life

Durable, resealable packages

Nitrogen flushed

Seriously good taste!

I decided I would invite a few friends over for a food storage dinner complete with cornbread muffins. It was actually a very easy dinner to prepare because all I had to do was add water and boil, or in the case of the cornbread muffins, add water then bake them. Here’s the deal, I wanted my friends to be aware of how easy it is to prepare some food storage for meals and show them that the food tastes fabulous at the same time!

So let’s get started. Look below to see how I set the table complete with a menu card. I wanted everyone to know that the food has a 25-year shelf-life, no MSG, no trans fat, contains sea salt and all you have to do is add water. Easy peasy.

I wanted place cards by each place setting so everyone would know the menu for the night. I invited seven people. I will have a breakfast meal post very soon, so stay tuned for that one.

Here is my BFF, Kathleen tasting the Mango Habanero Chili! Oh my gosh, is it delicious! I had all four pots of the food storage cooking at the same time. I served dinner at 5:00 P.M. and put all the hot pans on the kitchen counter for everyone to scoop and try each one. I was very anxious to try the Cheesy Mac because we all know kids love mac and cheese. It’s a true winner in my book! It’s creamy and is by far the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted. It tastes like homemade, yummy!

I also served the Irish Pub Style Cheddar Potato Soup which tasted great and cooked up faster than the other packages. The reason I point this out is the fact you will use less fuel when preparing this package. Love it!

The Pasta Primavera got the highest number of votes (if I had taken votes), or should I say it was the most popular of all the dishes that night. I must say, the Mango Habanero Chili was a bit too hot for my husband, but Kathleen and I could eat it every day. It truly is one of the best tasting chili offerings I have ever tasted. It’s just like homemade. It does have some kick to it, but man is it good!

Now onto the cornbread muffins. Oh my gosh, everyone loved them! Plus, you can make cornbread waffles with the mix! All you do is add water. The muffins are moist in the center and did not crumble. Everyone wants this mix!

This statement is off of the Valley Food Storage website:

“We get the question all the time “Why should I get Valley Food Storage food over this other company’s food?” We simply hand them a bag of our food and say “Go ahead read our ingredients.” The differences will amaze you, and the taste will leave you thinking you just had a home cooked meal. Really, we mean that just check out our reviews page our food is amazing!

When we prepare our foods, we take great care in making sure what you get is the best product on the market. We eliminate all the unhealthy preservatives, hydrogenated oils, MSG’s and many other ingredients that limit the nutritional value, shelf life and taste. What you are left with is simply the highest quality long term food storage you can find.

Your next question will be “Ok, sounds good but how did you do it?” The simple answer is we got together with our food scientists to come up with recipes and and processes that will give us the products we wanted. The next step was to go out and source the individual ingredients to ensure quality, not just buy them wholesale from the biggest factory. Then we go through the long process of freeze drying and/or dehydrating the foods and combining them into an amazingly high quality individually nitrogen flushed Mylar bag. When we prepare our foods we take great care in making sure what you get is the best product on the market.

Our Commitment

We completely stand behind our food and we are proud to now offer it straight to the public. If you are unsatisfied in any way we will make sure that we do everything in our power to make it right, including buying back the food. With Valley Food Storage you can be sure you are protecting you and your family with the best food storage on the market today! But dont just take our work for it get your sample today!”

I hope everyone remembers to have food storage in their pantry. I highly recommend this company, you will love their products! Here’s to being prepared for the unexpected.

I originally posted this recipe in 2013, and it is a family favorite. Yesterday, I served it to a last-minute house guest who made 2 major comments: it was delicious and he’d “have to remember this recipe” himself, and that he would never have thought to pair a cranberry sauce with fish. It definitely has…

Knife Planet recently asked 23 preppers what knife they would want with them during a disaster if they could only choose one. Since I happen to be one of those preppers, I thought I’d share their infographic. I chose the M.A.K.-1 (Multiple Access Knife) because unlike most knives, it was […]

Have you ever wanted a fire to last all night long, but didn’t want to stay up feeding it hour after hour? Most nights you lay down and open your eyes again two hours later just in time to throw more tinder and wood on just before it goes out. Recently I was watching a video on Far Northern Bushcraft – a favorite Youtube channel of mine – about how to keep your fire going all night long. The short version is you take one log and lay it top of another and light them on fire. Once the fire is established it will burn very slow.

The rule of thumb on this fire is that for every inch of thickness you have in your logs it will burn for one hour. Thus, if your logs are eight inches thick the fire should last eight hours. Nothing is ever that precise in the bush of course, but it does give you a reference point.

Materials and Procedure

I started with two logs about four inches thick. After chopping them up with my ax I carried them back to camp and then cut four green poles about four feet high. Then I flattened the two logs by taking my ax and trimming about two inches of wood off each length leaving a flat side along one side of the log. Thus, if you stacked one on top of the other they would lay flat without support. I drove the poles into the ground and stacked the two logs one on top of the other with some tinder and kindling between them.

To reiterate, this is not a big fire. It’s more of a smolder that will last most if not all of the night depending on how thick your logs are, what kind of wood you’re using, how hard the wind is blowing, and stuff like that. I set my fire up with kindling in front of it as well as in between the logs with spacers and then lit it. After a small blaze that lasted for a few minutes I was rewarded with a fire that smoldered between the two logs. For more info check out the short video I made:

The only real downside to this fire is that because it burns so slow it emits a good deal of smoke. If you set this up in front of your shelter for heat make sure you’re upwind or you’ll suck down smoke all night long.

Duration

The fire lasted about 2 1/2 hours before I had put it out, but was well on its way to burning the full four hours predicted by the rule of thumb. The next time I head out for a backwoods camping trip I’m definitely going to try this set up. You’ll want an axe to help get this set up properly and don’t forget to use green sticks for the support posts. That way they won’t catch on fire as it burns through the night.

The United States and China are in the midst of a tense naval showdown over the Spratly archipelago, a region in the South China Sea claimed by both China and America’s close ally the Philippines – and the two sides may be closer to war than most of us realize.

“This can convince the White House that China, despite its unwillingness, is not frightened to fight a war with the US in the region, and is determined to safeguard its national interests and dignity,” an op-ed published in The Global Times, a tabloid newspaper associated with China’s ruling Communist Party, stated on October 27.

The newspaper was referring to a trip made by the guided missile destroyer USS Lassen, an American naval vessel that sailed within 12 nautical miles of two of the Spratly Islands. China believes the US violated its sovereignty and that the trip was illegal.

It is unclear if The Global Times editorial represents official opinion in China, but the nation’s foreign minister, Zhang Yesui, did summon US Ambassador Max Baucus to his office to protest the move. Such a protest can be seen as a preliminary move to war.

“Based on the current trajectory, war between the United States and China in the decades ahead is not just possible, but much more likely than recognized at the moment. Indeed, judging by the historical record, war is more likely than not,” Graham Allison, the director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, wrote in a recent Atlantic article.

There are a number of compelling reasons to worry about a conflict between the US and China, including:

1. The United States seems to be deliberately provoking China by having powerful warships sail through the area.

“They’ve gone in heavy,” Ian Storey, a South China Sea expert from the Institute of East Studies in Singapore, said in The Guardian. “There is not much else heavier than that except an aircraft carrier. They want to send a very clear message to China that they are serious about this.”

2. China’s leaders are afraid that they could be seen as weak or unpatriotic if they back down to American pressure.

“China will have to react – it cannot not react to this,” Storey said. “Nationalism in China is such that China will be expected to make a robust response to this.”

Story continues below video

3. China’s president, Xi Jinping, has adopted an anti-American philosophy called the China Dream — with the goal of making China the richest and most powerful country on Earth, Allison said. Xi described this philosophy in a book, The Governance of China.

“Xi’s utopian world, as mapped out in The Governance of China, is one in which the United States is an insignificant, faraway blip, and countries that China can manage mostly without fear (Russia) or regard benevolently as obedient tributaries (Tanzania) fill the void,” Atlantic writer Benjamin Carlson wrote.

4. China has displaced the United States as the world’s largest economy, Allison noted. It is now the world’s largest trading nation, steel producer, oil importer, energy consumer, luxury market, holder of foreign reserves, holder of US debt, destination for investments and the world’s primary engine of economic growth.

5. Chinese warships have made aggressive moves towards US waters. In late August Chinese Navy ships entered US territorial waters and sailed to within 12 miles of the coastline of Alaska, CNNreported.

6. The idea of a war with America seems to be popular with some people in China. Tencent, China’s largest Internet company, released a five minute animated video simulating an all-out Chinese attack on what looked like an American military base in September, The Council on Foreign Relations reported. The attack ends with Chinese marines raising their flag over the ruined US base.

Do you believe China and the US are nearing war? Share your thoughts in the section below:

Welcome to this week’s Survival Buzz with an update on preps plus news and announcements from the Backdoor Survival blog. So what’s new this week?

You might recall that during my road trip, I had my friend and online blogging colleague, Daisy Luther, fill in for me with reports from her homestead in Northern California. In keeping with that tradition, I have invited Daisy to come back and join us monthly with prepping news and tips that bring a different perspective to the Buzz. The fact that it gives me a bit of time off does not hurt either!

So with that introduction, I turn you over to Daisy.

With Mother Nature, There Is No Room for Procrastination

One thing I’ve noticed about the prepper-farmer lifestyle is that there is little room for procrastination.

When you work within the confines of Mother Nature, you have to “make hay while the sun shines.” This has been an incredibly busy month here on the homestead, as I’ve finished processing all of the tomatoes and started on apples. Canning and preserving has been a daily chore this month.

Of course, canning and preserving can be very messy, particularly when the vegetables are a little bit past their primes. I’m speaking specifically of soft, mushy tomatoes that make your kitchen look like a crime scene. And as fate would often have it, I received a huge test of my preps right after such a canning marathon.

As I went to the sink to begin cleaning up, I discovered that I had no water. NONE. Not one drop came out of my faucet.

Because I live in drought-stricken California, I immediately thought the worst, that my well had run dry. It was one of the few times that I have been thankful to rent. I phoned the landlord and he began the search for a well repair guy who could make it out on the weekend. (Of course, this happened on a Friday after 5.)

Cleaning a disaster-zone kitchen without running water was certainly a challenge, but we got it done. One thing I learned from this is that you need to frequently test your preps. I had stored what I felt was enough water for a month, but with the splashing ducks, thirsty goats, messy kitchen, and soapy laundry in the washing machine, we would have been bone dry within a week.

We always make plans for a best case scenario. I certainly didn’t expect my water to run out while I had laundry in the washer, dishes to the ceiling, and tomato guts everywhere. I miscalculated how much water the livestock would go through as well.

If you haven’t had a no-running-water drill in a while, it might be time to test your preps. But don’t start out with a perfectly clean home and a fresh supply. Start at a random time, because that’s how disasters happen – out of the blue, and at the worst possible times.

Luckily for us, we were only out of water for a couple of days. We still have water in our well. The pump had broken and the awesome repair guy had one in stock that he installed on the weekend.

In brighter news, I am going into winter with a full pantry. I’ve been feverishly canning and we just put a half pig in the freezer. After apple season, I’m hoping for a few days to relax before starting my winter garden. How are your pantries looking?

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Backdoor Survival Mail Bag & Reader Tips

Okay, I am back. Sam asked:

Do you have any past articles on survival food that is purchased at the regular supermarket? Long shelf life, easily stored?

I sure do. I plan to update this article in early 2016, but in the mean time, start here for some great ideas!

Any good ideas for Christmas gifts would be most helpful. My wife is a “professional frugaler.”

Professional frugaler? Gosh, I just love that term. So here is the deal. My 2015 Holiday Gift Guide will not be released until next month. In the meantime, most of the items from 2014 still apply. Most are inexpensive and highly affordable.

Current Backdoor Survival Giveaways

This week I have two giveaways and if I do say so myself, both are terrific.

In this first one, I show you step by step how I package bulk foods in Mylar bags. The giveaway is for a $100 gift certificate at Discount Mylar Bags. There will be two winners!

With all giveaways, winners are notified by email and have 48 hours to claim their prize or an alternate will be selected. Once selected, the names of winners are also displayed in the Rafflecopter on the original giveaway article. This usually happens on the Friday following the end of the giveaway.

Spark Naturals – Free Shipping This Weekend Only

For all of you essential oils fans, Spark Naturals is offering free shipping to the lower 48 states through November 1. Plus, shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico is just a flat $5.

The Final Word

Reporting on my own preps took a back seat this week but that does not mean that nothing happened. That being said, in the spirit of giving myself a break this week, I will hold off and not be tempted to tell you about the wireless LED light I was testing that could have easily burned my house down. Oops, the cat is out of the bag. That darn cat!

Daisy asked about our pantries and how they are looking as we head into Fall and Winter. I, too, would like to know. So what did you do to prep this week?

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye

Related Articles:

Bargain Bin: I carry my portable survival kit whenever I leave the house. The nice thing about it is that it fits neatly in a pocket, day pack, glove box, or handbag. If you are interested in more details or need assistance building your own kit, see 8 Essential Items: The Perfect Portable Survival Kit.

In the meantime, here are some items you should consider carrying with you as you travel near and afar.

BIC Classic Lighters (12): A dozen full size BIC lighters at a bargain price with free shipping. Don’t forget to test them to ensure they work!

Paracord Lanyard: I prefer a paracord lanyard over a bracelet because I can use it’s clip to attach my whistle as well as other items that I may want to add from time to time such as a second flashlight, a Swiss army knife, pepper spray, or a flash drive (thumb drive).

Blocklite Ultra Bright 9V LED Flashlight: One of my readers (James) claimed that these work great. So I bought one. Then I bought another. All told, I have 8 of these spread out in drawers, in my emergency kits, the car, everywhere.

Kershaw OSO Sweet Knife: This “oh so sweet” knife is solidly built, stainless steel knife that comes razor sharp right out of the package. It will pretty much cut through anything the price is amazing.

Windstorm Safety Whistle: This particular whistle can be heard a long distance away and above howling wind and other competing sounds. I love my cheapie whistles but this is the one I would depend on for wilderness survival.

Lavender Essential Oil: This is the Swiss army knife of essential oils. My favorite lavender oil is from Spark Naturals. Enjoy a 10% discount with code BACKDOORSURVIVAL.

Rectangular Tin with Window: I found this tin that is very similar to mine on Amazon.com. Chances are you have something similar already that can be repurposed for free.

LifeStraw Personal Water Filter: Too large for a pocket kit but important to have with you is the Lifestraw Personal Water Filter. At only 2 ounces (in weight), the LifeStraw is suitable for a backpack or bug out bag. It is easy to use and requires no chemicals to remove a minimum of 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria.

For over 25 years Emergency Essentials has been providing the highest quality preparedness products at great prices. Plus, each month they feature sales that quite honestly are fantastic.

This month is their annual “stock up” month with exceptional values on some of their most popular items. As I do every month, I like to single out my own favorites. This month, one of the best deals is on their 4 person 72 hour buckets which is based upon a total of 2,000 calories per day per person. A 2-pack (2 full buckets) is 50% off at $99.99.

Need something from Amazon (and who doesn’t)? I earn a small commission from purchases made when you begin your Amazon shopping experience here. You still get great Amazon service and the price is the same, no matter what.

Amazon has a feature called Shop Amazon – Most Wished For Items. This is an easy tool for finding products that people are ‘wishing” for and in this way you know what the top products are. All you need to do is select the category from the left hand side of the screen.

Help support Backdoor Survival. Purchases earn a small commission and for that I thank you!

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Essential Oils: Deal of the Week

Each week I update a special page with the Spark Naturals item of the week? You can find it here: Essential Oils from Spark Naturals – Weekly Deals. Every once in awhile there will be free shipping or a free gift offered as well as a product discount.

And remember, you can always use the code BACKDOORSURVIVAL for an additional 10% off your entire SN order. When it comes to saving money, every little bit helps.

By popular demand I am posting this updated article first written 5 years ago and still timely and important, especially as more and more folks are packing their own to save money and create a diverse selection of food reserves. This information is always available under Food Storage Packing – Do-it-yourself Articles available on the home page in the right column.

The purpose of this article is to present specific details and recommendations for food storage packing of your own shelf stable foods for food storage, including what works and what doesn’t in creating an oxygen free atmosphere for long term food storage, and the common misconceptions of how to do your own packing will be covered. While there are many different types of dried foods that can be stored for extended periods of time, most folks are interested in how best to store grain and bean products.

Some material will be repeated in this article that has been covered in previous articles concerning the use of oxygen absorbers, storage conditions, and 25-30 year shelf life claims. While I could write a book on every specific detail of every packing option and all the technical specifications of all available packing containers, it is not the purpose of this article. I will cover important highlights, facts, insights, and information gained from over 40 years in the preparedness and outdoor recreation industry. It is important to keep in mind that I have not only been a retailer of preparedness and outdoor foods, I have been a manufacturer, developer of hundreds of recipes, packaging and product innovator, and researcher of shelf stable foods. I also was the first to use and introduce oxygen absorbers for packing outdoor recreational foods and food reserves in 1990-91, now an industry standard and essential to reduce residual oxygen levels and help extend the shelf life of dried foods.

Some of the material presented here will contradict and challenge information available on the web or in some do-it-yourself circles. Many people assume preparedness information to be accurate without careful consideration of the expertise of the source or the validity of the facts. I encourage you to research on your own any of the information presented in this article – or in any article for that matter – and to use basic critical thinking skills to evaluate the evidence and data you are offered. A little common sense goes a long way in assessing many of the claims being made about shelf life and do-it-yourself issues. I talk about the issue of trust and reliability in my articles: Who do you Trust?, The Research and Evaluation Process, and Purchasing Food Reserves – The Essential Questions.

Basics

Before you start packing your foods, be clear about what it is you want to store and for how long. Are the foods appropriate for your plans? Do you know how to prepare them? Do you have an adequate quantity? Do you have all the equipment necessary to prepare your foods? What is the nutritional quality? I suggest you study the key foundational information in my articleBeginning and Improving Preparedness Planning.

This is an article dealing with dry food products with a low to very low moisture content – depending upon the item usually between 2 and about 10 %. Products can include grains, beans, seeds, dehydrated or freeze-dried fruits and vegetables, seasonings, and powders and flours.

Grains and beans can be whole or processed into numerous forms. Keep in mind that when a whole grain or bean is processed it can compromise the integrity of a natural barrier, expose any oils, and begin a process of oxidation or rancidity leading to a shortened shelf life. Some processed bean products, such as TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) have been defatted to insure a longer shelf life, and some grains have naturally lower oil content. Because of the position of the germ in rice, brown rice is not appropriate for long term storage. Also, because white flour has no wheat germ, it will last significantly longer than whole wheat flour. Research the products you are storing to determine both the moisture and oil content.

What are the goals and expectations for your food preparedness planning? What are you hoping to accomplish and for whom and how many? How realistic are your plans? How long do you want your stored foods to be palatable – edible – nutritious – agreeable? Be honest. I once again refer you to another very helpful article in assisting you in preparedness planning: The 12 Crucial Questions of Preparedness Planning.

Why oxygen free?

At the end of this article I have included information on the 6 critical conditions for storing food. In this section we explore the need for a very reduced oxygen atmosphere when storing food for long periods. Basically there are 2 reasons for wanting to store food in an oxygen free environment – (1) eliminate the possibility for infestation from insects and microorganisms, and (2) control oxidation, which leads to the rancidity of fats and oils, foul taste, off color, and nutritional deterioration. NOTE: Freezing foods do not effectively kill microscopic insect eggs. The lower the oxygen levels – the more effective in preserving the integrity of the foods stored. Some foods are more susceptible to oxidation deterioration than others. It is important to know how susceptible the foods you are storing are to oxidation, because as you will see the type of container you store your foods in may at some point no longer be an adequate oxygen barrier. Research by Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, the inventors of oxygen absorbers and manufacturer of the Ageless® brand absorber, indicates that in an oxygen free atmosphere (their absorbers can reduce the residual oxygen level in the proper container to 0.1% or less) all adults, larvae, pupae, and eggs of the most prevalent dry food insects are killed within 14 days.

If oxidation and elimination of all stages in an insect’s development by eliminating available oxygen is not an issue, there are other methods that can be utilized with varying effectiveness in controlling insect infestation. Options include:

Exposure to freezing temperatures for an adequate length of time (this may kill adults and larvae but not all eggs)

Using bay leaves and other aromatic herbs to inhibit insect reproduction

Using food grade diatomaceous earth to kill adults (the microscopic very sharp texture of the particles pierce the bodies of the insects and they dehydrate and die). In this case the live adult must come into contact with the diatomaceous earth. Some folks put the material on the bottom of a container hoping the insects will go there, while others coat all the contents of a container with a fine layer of material and wash it off when it is time to consume the food.

Methods of reducing residual oxygen levels when you pack your own

Very effective in reducing residual oxygen levels – in my opinion it is the most effective technology available today.

Relatively inexpensive and easy to use if done properly.

Harmless components – iron oxide.

Easily obtainable.

Con:

This product was developed for use by professional food companies who understand how to properly use and store it. There are important guidelines which must be followed for the absorber to work properly and not lose its effectiveness. The do-it-yourself person will defeat the purpose of using this technology if the guidelines and instructions are not properly followed. It is imperative that the absorber user obtain all necessary information from a qualified supplier on its correct use. Using and About Oxygen Absorbers

The absorber user needs to do their homework and make sure the correct sized absorber is being utilized for both the size of the container and food product packed.

Insert a wand into a pouch, can, bucket, or jar and attempt to replace the atmosphere by squirting it with nitrogen (the most commonly used inert gas)

Pro:

Fairly easy to do

Relatively inexpensive

Con:

Without the proper testing equipment there is no way for the pack your own person to know the residual oxygen levels of their containers. If the levels are too high, you have defeated the purpose for which you intended. How much nitrogen to use and the length of time to insert it into the container are both speculation and assumption. Do you want to rely on guess work?

When removing the wand and sealing the container some amount of oxygen will be introduced into the container, which will affect the atmosphere in the container.

To achieve the desired effect of a very low residual oxygen level this method has many weaknesses. (NOTE: Before the days of the oxygen absorber, companies such as mine used elaborate equipment designed to draw a vacuum and nitrogen flush in a chamber. The goal was a residual oxygen level of 2% or lower, because this was the military specification for long term storage of foods in a #10 size metal can. Even with the proper equipment reaching these residual levels required experience, testing, and effective methodology. Can “wanding” by hand effectively achieve these levels?)

The dry ice method

There was a time (and there may still be) when folks would put dry ice at the bottom or top of a container, leave the lid slightly ajar, wait for the ice to evaporate, and then seal the lid. This method has so many problems that I won’t bother to give it pros and cons. It is not recommended.

Use a home model vacuum sealer with either a plastic pouch or available attachment to put over a jar

Pro:

Equipment is easily accessible

Can be effective for short term storage

Easy to use

Con:

Equipment and extra pouches can be costly

The vacuum pulled (measured in inches of mercury) may be helpful for short term use, however is neither strong enough nor effective for a long term storage requirement. The plastic pouches and jar seams are not designed to hold a vacuum for extended periods (longer than 1-2 years).

Most units do not produce enough heat to seal thicker foil laminated pouches (some people call these pouches by the misnomer of “Mylar”) that are a more effective packaging option.

Go to a cannery – You can do your own canning of your own product in #10 metal cans. Some canneries will sell you cans and bulk foods.

Pro:

Very effective method for long term food storage – metal cans are the best containers

Depending on the cannery, costs can be low for using the equipment

You can easily insert an oxygen absorber into the cans for maximum shelf life

Con:

While metal cans are the most effective containers, they can be costly and very difficult to obtain in smaller quantities

Canneries are not readily available to most folks – most are sponsored by members of the Mormon Church, check on usage and membership requirements, hours of operation, and costs at each cannery

You’ll need the proper vehicle to transport bulk foods and cans

Use a manually operated or electric, smaller, model open top can seam sealer

Pro:

Very effective method for long term food storage – metal cans are the best containers

You have significant flexibility as to when to use the sealer, and with whom it is to be shared

You can easily insert an oxygen absorber into the cans for maximum shelf life

They are easy to use once you get the hang of it

Con:

They can be expensive

You must do your homework and determine the best manufacturer and model

You must make sure you are operating them correctly and that the seams are being sealed properly

You need access to a supply of cans

Containers

Of all the issues relating to packing your own shelf stable foods, the most effective container to use can be the most confusing and misrepresented. As stated in the beginning of this article be clear about what you are storing, how much, and for how long.

Plastic buckets (HDPE – high density polyethylene) – 5 and 6 gallon round and square sizes with handles are very popular for packing grains, beans, and other commodities in bulk

Pro:

A convenient container to store larger quantities of dry foods – stores and stacks well, is compact, and can be carried easily.

Inexpensive new and can be obtained used from a number of sources.

A thick walled (90 mil) container with the proper gasket can be used effectively to control the atmosphere within for up to 1 to 5 years.

Can be used in conjunction with foil pouches for convenience of storage.

You can use multiple foil pouches stored in the bucket for convenience of use.

Insects don’t easily penetrate the thick walls.

Can withstand some rough handling.

Because insects at all stages are destroyed within about 14 days, the short term effectiveness of using an oxygen absorber to create an oxygen free environment is useful.

Con:

HDPE is a permeable (porous – albeit microscopic) material and gas transmission rates (the length of time gases such as oxygen will travel through a given material) indicate that it will take 1 to 5 years for the atmosphere within the bucket to match the atmosphere outside (our normal atmosphere is normally about 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen with a very small amount of other gases such as carbon dioxide). This means that if you started with an oxygen free or low level to begin with, that over time the oxygen level in the bucket will continue to increase until it reaches parity or equality with the normal atmosphere.

If you want the atmosphere to remain constant inside your container, or be oxygen free for extended periods of time, HDPE plastic buckets are not appropriate – check with the manufacturers (as I have done) and find out their specifications and recommendations for your needs and the specific container you want to use.

The ability to maintain whatever atmosphere you desire within the container will depend not only on the quality of the HDPE walls and lid, but also the integrity of the gasket seal.

HDPE will absorb odors and they will eventually permeate into the contents of the bucket. Direct packed foods will also absorb the odor. Do not store plastic buckets in areas that have a strong smell. (NOTE: Foil pouches within a bucket will prolong the odor absorption)

Rodents and other animals can easily break into plastic buckets.

Not recommended for long term storage (5+ years) of directly packed foods, unless a low residual oxygen level is not needed.

Pouches – There are literally thousands of possible combinations of materials and sizes available to create a pouch that will contain food. Normally a food manufacturer or packer goes to a company that specializes in manufacturing pouches and gives the company their specifications and requirements for the specific foods to be packed.

IMPORTANT NOTE: It is common these days among those who sell empty pouches for food storage, or food already in pouches, to use the term “Mylar pouch.” This is very misleading. By itself the term can mean anything and it tells you nothing of importance so that you can make the appropriate decisions on what pouch to use. The “Mylar” brand is the registered trademark name of a PET polyester film manufactured by DuPont Teijin Films. They produce hundreds of variations of this polyester resin material. It is a component used in the production of many variations of packaging material. It can be clear or opaque such as in wrappers for food bars or Mylar balloons – that look “metalized” yet contain no foil. Mylar by itself is not an appropriate material for long term pouched food. Ask you supplier what they mean when they say “Mylar.”

For those reading this article the requirements needed are to pack dry foods for the long term. If you buy stock pouches from a distributor you need to tell them what you plan to put in it and what your expectations are for the long term. You should insist on knowing the specifications (especially the gas and vapor transmission rates) of the pouch and whether they suit your needs.

If you want a pouch that gives you the longest possible shelf life for your foods, you will need a laminated pouch consisting of multiple components and layers. As far as pouches are concerned, one of those layers must be foil (NOTE: All plastics are gas and vapor permeable – some rates are very high – meaning that gases transmit through them very quickly – and some plastics both individually and in combination have slower rates). Only quality foil is a non-permeable gas and moisture barrier – that is foil without microscopic holes. NOTE: Most pouches used by today’s food storage companies have what is know as ‘pin holing’ – because of the lower quality and thickness of the pouch, especially the foil layer. These are extremely small holes that will eventually transmit oxygen through them. While these pouches can be still be effective for some years, to claim a 25 year shelf life is misleading and deceptive. Also, keep in mind none of these companies claiming a 25 year pouch shelf life have been in business more than a few years. The 25 year claim is a marketing trick. It is interesting that many of these companies promote their foods as “survival” foods – that is to say their foods are better than starving, and after 25 years that’s the best you can hope for.

Ask the distributor the specifications of the pouch, the different components used – not only for barrier properties but also for durability, the transmission rates if not foil, if foil – its thickness, and the reliability and reputation of the manufacturer.

Pro:

The variety of available sizes offers flexibility in choices of quantities to store.

Costs are reasonable.

Can be effective as a short term very low oxygen level container.

Small pouches of food can be very useful for bartering and distributing among those in need during in an emergency.

Con:

Not recommended for very long term packaging of products for an oxygen free environment. Shelf life of pouched foods is recommended for 3 to 10 years depending on type of food product, storage conditions, handling, and composition of packaging materials.

Excessive or rough handling, loss of seal integrity, and pressure of sharp edges on the pouch from the products within can create “pin holes” (microscopic holes in the pouch material) that eventually will cause gases to be transmitted through the pouch (NOTE: I am concerned when I see and hear some folks instructing people to cram and squeeze foil pouches into plastic buckets).

Rodents and other creatures can easily penetrate pouch material.

Metal cans – For food storage purposes #10 size (about 7/8 gal) and #2 ½ size (about 7/8 qt) are the most popular used with the proper can sealers. It is possible, if you keep searching, to find 5 gallon square metal cans with a large pressure lid on the top side. These are ideal for bulk food storage, although they may be hard to find (NOTE: I sold these cans packed with foods at AlpineAire Foods about 25 years ago). You also may want to consider clean or new metal garbage cans as a means to store smaller size foil pouched foods.

Pro:

Ideal for long term food storage. The atmosphere within the cans, with the proper sealing, can remain oxygen free indefinitely.

Metal is non-permeable for gas and vapor – a zero transmission rate.

Difficult for rodents or animals to penetrate.

Can withstand some rough handling.

Con:

Costs can be higher than other materials.

Extra attention must be given to proper sealing.

Some metal containers may be difficult to obtain.

Some cans may rust if exposed to moisture.

Glass

Pro:

Excellent for long term food storage. The atmosphere within the jars, with the proper sealing, can remain oxygen free indefinitely.

Glass is non-permeable for gas and vapor – a zero transmission rate.

Difficult for rodents or animals to penetrate.

Easily obtainable and relatively inexpensive.

Con:

Very fragile – must be stored and handled with care.

Practical only in smaller size containers.

Personal recommendations and tips for long term pack your own food storage

First choice – if possible store foods in metal cans with the proper size oxygen absorber

Second choice –

Pack foods in a heavy duty foil laminate pouch with the proper size oxygen absorber. I prefer using a variety of smaller size pouches rather than one large pouch.

If you seal the pouch with an iron – as opposed to a commercial impulse sealer – make sure you know the proper method to use. If your seal isn’t adequate you are wasting your time and money using an absorber.

Place the foil pouches carefully – to avoid “pin holes” and seam damage, into another larger plastic or metal container (NOTE: Sturdy cardboard boxes will do if infestation from insects, rodents, and other animals is of no concern). This will facilitate handing and storage.

When you use the proper size oxygen absorber in a foil pouch it will create a slight vacuum and the pouch will tighten up somewhat (Remember you are not creating a complete vacuum that would produce a brick hard pack, you are only removing about 21% of the air volume – it will be absorbed by the iron oxide in the oxygen absorber sachet).

Periodically – especially in the first two weeks – check on the pouch to make sure it still looks tightened up. If at some point it looks normal, then the integrity of the pouch has been compromised and the atmosphere in the pouch has equalized with the outside atmosphere.

I see no point in putting additional oxygen absorbers into the plastic bucket or container in which the foil pouch is placed.

Third Choice

If you have a smaller quantity of dry goods to store and you can protect or store foods safely – use glass jars. Either half gallon size Ball canning jars or one gallon size jars – both need lids with a small rubber seal on the lid to create an air tight container.

Drop an appropriate size oxygen absorber in the jar then seal it tight.

Store away from light.

Tips

I do not recommend using the nitrogen “wand” method of atmosphere replacement in pouches, plastic, or metal containers if you want to create a truly oxygen free environment.

The oxygen absorber properly used is the best method for creating an oxygen free environment.

Certain foods packed for long term storage may not need an oxygen free atmosphere. I have covered the reasons for creating this type of environment earlier, and your specific needs may focus only on containers and storage conditions.

I do not recommend storing commodities in their original paper or cloth sacks or boxes for the long term – unless you possess a very secure and unique storage facility. The important issue here is infestation and environmental influences such as heat, moisture, and other airborne contaminants.

Periodically inspect your food reserves for any sign of infestation or contamination.

Storage Conditions

There are six conditions to be aware of when storing food for emergency preparedness food storage, or outdoor recreation. The foods being referred to in this post are shelf-stable freeze-dried, dehydrated, dried commodities. Optimal storage conditions can also be applied to wet pack: retort, MRE’s, canned goods, and other specialty longer term wet pack foods.

NOTE: The six conditions listed are chosen because these are factors in which we have the control to optimize for the longest reliable shelf life. TIME is the one factor that we can not control – and it does have a significant effect on the shelf life of various foods. Nutritional value is lost with many foods over time. To know with certainty the viable nutritional value of all food reserve items at any given time after a lengthy period of storage – is at best complex or most likely mere conjecture and guesswork. What we can do is to apply proper planning procedures – do your research with trusted resources, rotate and consume your storage foods, and be realistic about how long you will really need the foods you choose to store.

Temperature– This is the primary factor affecting the storage life of foods. The cooler the better. 40 degrees-50 degrees would be great. Room temperature (65 degrees-72 degrees) or below is generally fine. Avoid above 90 degrees for extended periods of time. The longer food is exposed to very high temperatures the shorter the edible life and the faster the degeneration of nutritional value. Note: There are some “foods” available for emergency preparedness that are known as “emergency food or ration bars.” These products are generally referred to as “life raft bars” because they were originally designed for life rafts and can withstand high heat for extended periods of time. They primarily consist of white sugar and white flour, and were not meant to be the sole source of nutrition for a long period of time.

Moisture– The lower the better. Moisture can deteriorate food value rapidly and create conditions that promote the growth of harmful organisms. The moisture level contained in foods varies depending on the type of product it is. Have foods in moisture barrier containers (metal, glass) in high humidity areas. Note: Foil pouches (Mylar bags) or plastic buckets are not a long term (over 3-10 years) moisture or oxygen barrier. The moisture and gas transmission rates through these materials vary depending upon the specifications of the manufacturers. Plastic absorbs gases, moisture, and odors. Note: Be careful where you store dry foods in cans. Very cold flooring or any condition where there is a dramatic temperature differential may cause a build up of condensation inside the container.

Oxygen – A high oxygen environment causes oxidation, which leads to discoloration, flavor loss, odors, rancidity and the breakdown of nutritional value in foods. It also allows insects to feed on dried food reserves. Without oxygen, insects cannot live, nor can aerobic (oxygen dependent) organisms. Whole grain and beans have natural oxygen barriers and can store for long periods of time in low humidity and if free from infestation. All other processed grains, vegetables, fruits, etc. must be in a very reduced (2% or less) oxygen environment for long term storage. Note: Foil pouches (Mylar bags) or plastic buckets are not a long term (over 3-10 years) moisture or oxygen barrier. The moisture and gas transmission rates through these materials vary depending upon the specifications of the manufacturers. Plastic absorbs gases, moisture, and odors. The best long term storage containers are glass and metal.

Infestation – Examples include rodents, insects in all their stages of growth, mold, microorganisms, and any other creatures that get hungry – large or small. The proper packaging and storage conditions are required to control infestation and not allow critters to both get into the food, or have the necessary environment for them to flourish if they are sealed into a container – such as in the form of eggs or spores.

Handling – Rough handling can not only damage the food itself, but it can also adversely effect and compromise the integrity of the container in which the food is stored. Glass of course can break; any pouched item can develop pin holes, tears, or cracks. The seams on buckets and cans can be tweaked, twisted, or damaged to allow oxygen to enter the container.

Light – Food should not be stored in direct sunlight. Both for the potential of high temperature, and its affect on food value. Sunlight directly on stored foods can destroy nutritional value and hasten the degeneration of food quality, taste, and appearance. Foods packed in light barrier containers do not pose a problem with the affects of light.

It’s been said there are two certainties in life; death and taxes. Unfortunately for over 300,000 taxpayers, this also included getting their tax records stolen. I should know, it happened to me this year. Imagine my surprise when my CPA told me that somebody had already filed taxes under my Social Security Number. Eventually, I […]

It should come as no shock to our readers that the Third Iraq War President Obama initiated has already faltered. As predicted, the strategy (or lack thereof see: http://www.blackboxwire.com/2014/10/11/islamic-extremism-and-what-lies-ahead-part-ii-the-war-on-isis-and-syria/) did

Mason Dixon Vixen just recently wrote this post about trust and why who you surround yourself with is a big deal. So why is who you put trust in and keep as friends so important? If you don’t have someone to counteract or at least level out the negative crap you get every day, you will fall prey to the “Beast of Negativity”, and he will more than likely take you to one extreme or the other in your reaction, and neither is healthy or helpful. As I’ve gotten older, I have surrounded myself with friends that are oriented towards the same goals as I am. All of us at one time or another get a case of the “Fuckits” (In the last year, I’ve had it a few times), and good friends not only understand (because you all have the same “end state” goals, right?), but can bring you back to proper focus, and at times tell you to “Get your head out of your ass”! I have a lot of acquaintances, and a few friends. I’d take a bullet for any one of my friends, and I know it is reciprocal.

When it comes to trust, I’ve been burned pretty hard before and multiple times. I’m going to give some personal examples, they are for illustration purposes, and who it was is not important. In one incident, I trusted a good friend with my financial standing, and they ended up burning me badly. Out of that the end result was something that took years to recover from financially. Do I blame them? Yes and No. They took advantage of our friendship and my trust. I foolishly gave them the ability to destroy me financially, and to make matters worse, I didn’t keep an eye on things (I trusted them, right?). Ultimately, it was my fault, and I took responsibility for it.

We all make mistakes, and hopefully, you survive it, learn from it, and don’t lose anything but maybe your dignity because of it. I have had a Damned horse shoe in my pocket when it comes to mistakes. Whether it was while in the military (young and dumb, I was a PFC twice LOL), or as a civilian, I’ve fucked up a number of times (nothing illegal, but i still fucked up), but I always took responsibility for my actions, and learned from the experience (remind me to tell you sometime about being stupid and missing a corner on a back road while on my ZX-10 at 95mph LOL).

In the past year and a half, I made the mistake of speaking up for someone (putting my reputation in the preparedness community on the chopping block) I believed had been screwed over by “The Powers That Be”, and after hearing him tell his story, I mistakenly believed him. A number of us in the community put our faith in someone we believed had the best intentions at heart. but unfortunately it appears our faith was misplaced. We simply should have performed more due diligence. Was it our fault? Hell yeah it was. What were we thinking? I can tell you what I was thinking. I thought that giving a guy this chance, after he had been given what he told us was a raw deal by the “authorities”, would be the right thing to do.

Giving him the opportunity to prove he could societally redeem himself, and be a power for good would be something that I was wholeheartedly behind (I see so much negative crap every day at work, it would be a nice change of pace). So what happened? The Short version is that he started acting and saying things contrary to what he said he believed, among other things. When those certain “tells” were triggered, and I started doing more research, I found I/we had been snookered. Do I regret trusting him? No. “Why not?” you ask. Because I will never regret trying to do what I believe is the right thing and give someone with a less than stellar background the benefit of the doubt and a chance to prove society wrong.

Would I be cautious to trust someone with a similar background again? Hell yeah, I’m not a fool (no matter what you’ve been told). But caution is not a “Hell No!” either. We all have to take responsibility for our actions, no matter what they are. Good intentions are no excuse for throwing caution to the wind, and I own that mistake just like I own the myriad of mistakes I’ve made in my life. We wanted to see something great come from our trust, and it was abused, it’s that simple.

Regretting mistakes you make in life should only be your mindset if you didn’t learn from them (life lessons, right?). One of the things we desire as trainers in the military at any leadership level (Team Leader and above) is that your soldiers make mistakes (especially big ones) in training. If they make the mistake there and you can impressed upon them the real world outcome, possible loss of life, and/or mission failure, due to their mistake, it’s huge. But they have to learn to OWN IT! (this was a huge tell when we were evaluating future NCO’s. Did they own their mistake, or did they make excuses about why it wasn’t their fault) If you can do this in training, you will have given your junior and future leaders the tools they need for success when it really counts.

Make excuses all you want when it comes to your mistakes, but in the end you know who was responsible, and where the blame lies. What we are preparing for will not suffer fools and their excuses. Don’t want to prepare? MISTAKE! Don’t want to get training? MISTAKE! Don’t want to do PT? MISTAKE! Don’t want to get with family, friends, or neighbors to train together? MISTAKE! See a pattern?

The point of preparing for hard times is to give you and yours a better chance of surviving it without relying on the generosity of others. The point of getting training is to make you better at making decisions quickly and under stress, and learn it from someone that has relevant experience. The point of PT is to become less mistake prone (something that happens when you’re sleepy or physically smoked) and better able to physically carry out decisions you make and the gear you need to accomplish the task at hand when you do it. The point of training with your group is to improve your ability to work together and make the mistakes TOGETHER in training. If you do that, you will be better able to deal with the real situation when it’s in your face.

Trust those that have earned it, and use caution with those that haven’t. Befriend, network and train together with those of like mind when possible. Last, but most certainly not least. OWN THE MISTAKES YOU MAKE AND LEARN FROM THEM! Anything else is just juvenile mental masturbation.

However they do offer a wide variety of products that appeal to a variety of needs and budgets. Their AR500 body armor combo is a heck of a deal. More to follow on that particular piece of kit. Anyway I am happy to be working with this excellent company. You should check out their site and consider them when making a purchase.

They also need months to procure and deliver fuel, and to set up the 1000 or so “migrant workers” needed for a refueling/outage.

And in general, they care about their employees as they do not want bad street cred in their industry, meaning the want to give people maximum notice to transmition, find a new job.

ODDLY Entergy also announces 3rd quarter earnings on Monday. The said they would make a decision regarding closing Fitzpatrick or not over the weekend.

Interesting timing. They also set up a special 800 number that employees could call in to see if they had a job. Huh? You want to employees to be calling in at unspecified times throughout the weekend to have a computer record tell them “You’re Fired!”.

I mean, if it can’t wait until Monday to announce at work, just send an email? Why the drama? Seems like a lot of work to set up a special 800 number for that purpose.

Kimchi is one of those things that seems so exotic but is so ridiculously easy to make at home — and fresh, homemade kimchi is infinitely better tasting than anything you can buy from the market.If you’ve never had this fermented side dish, think of it like a spicy Korean version of sauerkraut. The smoke and fire comes from gochugaru, a Korean red pepper powder (sometimes also called Korean chile flakes or Korean chili powder, but definitely not to be confused with American red pepper flakes or American chili powder).

Homemade kimchi is a pungent and complex blend of flavors owing to traditional spices (gochugaru, garlic and ginger) as well as a puree of Asian pear and yellow onion, which adds a subtle sweetness without the need for sugar. I use red cabbage for the same antioxidant benefits I get from my ruby kraut. (But you can also use the more traditional napa cabbage.)

Similar to kraut, kimchi is full of probiotic goodness and it’s not solely limited to Korean dishes. I’ve made kimchi omelets, kimchi quesadillas, kimchi pizza, and even spooned a heaping of kimchi on a baked potato. This version is a medium spicy that won’t burn your tongue off, but still has enough heat and tang to make a meal interesting.

Freezing is an easy and convenient way to save time and money when it comes to feeding your family. You can make meals ahead and freeze them for future use. You can freeze seasonal fruits and vegetables for the winter. You can even freeze random leftovers for what my kids know as our no-cook “leftover surprise” night.

But freezing does present two possible problems. First, how can you know how long a frozen food item is safe to eat? And, secondly, what will happen to all that frozen food if the power goes out?

Most frozen foods remain safe to eat almost indefinitely. Therefore, most storage “times” for frozen foods are merely suggested times for best taste and quality only.

Keeping in mind that the federal government is conservative with its estimates, here are some general guidelines from FoodSafety.gov and nchfp.uga.edu.

Ground meat: 3 to 4 months

Fresh meat: 6 to 12 months

Poultry: 12 months

Fish: 3 to 6 months

Pork: 6 to 8 months

Processed meat (hot dogs, sausage lunch meat, bacon): 1 to 2 months

Leftovers (cooked meat): 2 to 6 months

Butter: 5 to 6 months

Hard cheese: 6 to 12 months

Soft cheese: 4 months

Eggs (removed from shell): 12 months

Milk: 1 month

Fruits: 12 months

Cooked vegetables: 1 month

Raw vegetables: 12 months

Onions (raw): 3 to 6 months

Baked goods: 6 months

The best place for long-term storage is the back of your stand-up freezer or the bottom of your chest freezer. Use the freezer door for times you use up frequently, since door items are subjected to more temperature fluctuation.

Packaging matters. Resist the urge to place an item in the freezer in its store-bought package unless the packaging is intended for the freezer. Be sure to let cooked foods cool before packaging them to help speed up the freezing process and to help them retain their natural color, flavor and texture.

Then use containers that are moisture-vapor resistant, durable, leak-proof and easy to seal. When placing foods in the package, allow enough room for some expansion during the freezing process. Mark your packages with pens and labels designed for freezer use.

Although you may think you’ll never forget what is in that big Tupperware container, you just might in a couple of months. Label the food with its contents and the date you are freezing it. That way, you can try to follow the same first-in, first-out rule for your freezer that you follow with your pantry foods.

But What If You Lose Electricity?

Image source: Pixabay.com

But what if the power goes out? How long will frozen food last then?

Although you can invest in fuel-powered generators to keep your freezer running for a time, in a long-term emergency, you may not be able to consume all your frozen food before you run out of fuel. As a result, no emergency food storage plan should rely on frozen food.

What if you do not use a generator? To maximize your freezing time during a power outage, try to keep your freezer as full as possible. A full freezer operates more efficiently than an empty or sparsely used freezer. Consider freezing plastic bottles that are filled about two-thirds full with water as a way to keep your freezer fuller. The water may come in handy during an emergency as well.

In a power outage, the food in a full free-standing freezer will keep for about 48 hours if its door remains shut. Food in a full chest-type freezer may last as much as 24 hours longer – again, if cold air is not lost through an opened door.

During a power outage, you can quickly take out items that you will use in the short term and place them in coolers. This planning ahead process will help you keep the freezer door shut and help keep your frozen foods colder longer.

Here are some other tips:

Breads will defrost more quickly than meats and vegetables.

Most thawed or partially thawed foods may be safely refrozen if they still contain visible ice crystals or if the appliance has a temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below.

If the color of an item has changed, if an unusual odor is present, or if the item feels warm, discard it.

Covering the freezer with blankets will help it retain its temperature. (Avoid covering vents.)

Additionally, it is worth it to invest in a quality freezer thermometer. Most frozen food storage guidelines are based on a maintained freezer temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degree Celsius) or colder.

What freezer tips would you add? Do you eat frozen foods that are many years old? Share your advice in the section below:

Off-Grid Survival: How To Track Food In The Woods

Tracking animals and humans in the woods is an art form worth mastering for survival needs. Depending on what you are hunting, you must search from the ground to the tree tops looking for something that has been disturbed or out of place. It will take experience to learn the difference between natural disturbances such as wind or rain and the presence of an animal.

For safer and more productive hunts you must also know your hunting area and check it over on a routine basis. In the aftermath of a crisis, other survivors may enter your hunting area or territory and set up deadly traps or try to steal prey you take from a successful hunt.

Knowing Your Hunting Area

Once you have secured your targeted hunting area, you should make a note of the presence of animals that will be useful for food and other needs.

This survey should include an assessment of typical lairs, ground cover, and anything else that might help you locate prey faster as well as get some ideas about the number of available animals and the long term sustainability of hunting them.

Here are some other things that you should always be aware of in the hunting zone:

Water usually needs to be clean, running, and not contaminated. Streams, rivers, and ponds are usually a good place to find animal tracks. If you follow these tracks, you will be able to locate well used animal trails and crossings that reveal when animals are most likely to pass through.

Game animals’ food sources must be plentiful and not contaminated. For example, fields that deer, bear, and turkey graze in must be free of trash, dumped industrial waste, or abandoned rusted out vehicles. Many large and small game animals need a green pasture or meadow surrounded by forest. In woodlands game animals will eat berries, nuts, new leave growth, or feed in small patches of grass.

Desert terrains tend to be more complicated, but you can still look for natural sand depressions, water holes, rock outcroppings, and tumble weeds for signs of suitable prey. Since prey can usually learn of your presence with ease, it may be very hard to hunt in the desert without using traps or advanced hunting skills based in experience with type of hunting.

All game animals require cover. For deer, bear, turkeys, and other small game animals a good brush pile, log pile, or a thicket will do. Here all the game animals can relax and rest without being seen. If a predator or a man gets too close these animals can flee out of sight with ease.

Know the Lay of the Land

When approaching a new hunting area, you should always have general idea of the land type. Is this area mountainous, rolling hills, flat, swampy, or desert? Each type of land requires different hunting skills and tracking methods.

Mountainous areas with very steep changes in altitude, a lot of loose stone covering the ground, and extremely hard ground make it hard to find or follow animal tracks. You will need to rely on leaf disturbances, droppings, gnaw marks, odors, and other signs of animal presence.

Rolling hills with a combination of forests and meadows are much easier to track with the softer soil and moister content. You should be able to determine the age of track impressions, direction of travel, and the number of animals that made tracks.

Flat lands have little or no change in altitude. Forests in this area offer some cover for the tracker, but the game animals have a better chance to flee after being spotted. Here they can run full out and even jump great distances to break up their trail. Once you locate a suitable crossing area, it will be best to build a stand, blind, or some other hiding place that will enable you to go unnoticed by your targeted prey.

Tracking in swamps can be very dangerous and may be impossible. Aside from large amount of water and very little dry land, animal tracks will be few and far between. While you are hunting, you may encounter quicksand, poisonous snakes, and difficulty with navigation.

Desert terrain may yield tracks, but it may be very hard to determine their age. If you do not pay careful attention to hydration and navigational bearings, you can get lost easily or fooled by mirages. It is also important to note that sand storms can blow up suddenly and bury you, or cause other problems. Since deserts often get very cold at night, you will need to have suitable clothing for extreme cold as well as heat.

Tracking in Your Hunting Area

No matter whether you are hunting for practice, or dealing with a crisis, you should always have a hunting plan. Always try to leave this information with a friend or family member in case you do not return on time. While it may not be possible for this person to organize a search party in a crisis, at least someone will know you are missing.

Mother Nature has many safe guards to protect all animals living there. The first safe guard is silence. When something is wrong or unusual the birds and insects stop singing. This puts all creatures on alert.

At this point the animal’s flight or run instinct kicks in and they leave the area. If you pass this test then quickly and quietly as possible enter the hunting grounds.

If you have hunted this area before then slowly stalk your way to the game trail of choice. Look for disrupted areas including over-turned leaves on the ground or bent and twisted grass blades. When you look closer at the ground, it may be possible to see animal tracks.

For me, forests that have recently had a little rain are easier to track animals in because the damp soil gives a better print and trail. If the dirt is dry it will still leave a print, but not as noticeable. Streams and water holes also make some of the best places to search for game animals.

This is a place where animals will come to you. Areas around clean, potable water will always have plenty of tracks, therefore, even if you arrive at the wrong time of day, simply wait for the animals to show up at their usual time.

Some Notes on Specific Animals

Deer – When they are walking normally through the woods, deer leave a good trail to follow. If they are spooked or otherwise scared they will run, and then leap ten feet or more per bound, which makes it very hard to track them.

Bear – If you are hunting bear or just come across its trail, be very careful, and stay down wind so the bear cannot catch your scent. Unlike other animals, you are far more likely to be the bear’s prey than the other way around. A bear may walk or lumber slowly, but beware of it. Bears may look slow and fat, but can close on you with unbelievable speed.

A human is no match for a bear’s strong paws, which have deadly claws, plus teeth and fangs designed for ripping and tearing. Quite frankly, even if you have a suitable rifle, it is downright foolish and irresponsible to tackle a bear on your own. If you must hunt a bear for food, back away from the track and assemble a party that can take it out safely.

Other animals that can be tracked in the woods are raccoon, opossum, squirrel,rabbit, muskrat, and fox. If you are hungry they all can be eaten. They may taste funny or very gamey, but they will keep you and your family alive. When you take an animal’s life, make a point to use all it has given including the fur and bones.

In conclusion the art of tracking is a must have ability. Without it your chances of your survival in times of post crisis will be from slim to none. Even if you are a world class marksman or archer, without the ability to track your game, you might as well be shooting at paper targets instead of trying to put fresh game on the table.

About the author :

Fred Tyrell

Fred Tyrrell is an Eagle Scout and retired police officer that loves to hunt, fish, hike, and camp with good friends and family. He is also a champion marksman (rifle, pistol, shotgun) and has direct experience with all of the major gun brands and their clones. Fred refers to himself as a “southern gentleman” – the last of a dying way. He believes a man’s word is his bond, and looks forward to teaching others what he has learned over the years. You can send Fred a message at editor [at] survivopedia.com.

The essential question about Unit 3:The Reactor did not blow up. Or else, the insides of the containment vessel would have been damaged. But the inside of the containment vessel is intact. The videos show that even delicate pipe runs, and even a light fixture, remain intact. The Spent Fuel Pool did not blow up. As underwater photos of the interior of SFP 3 clearly show. (See photo below) Then, the essential question about Unit 3 is: What caused the Unit 3 explosion?

I disagree. If water submerges to 35%% of the total rod length; Annealing can take place weakening the structural integrity of the fuel cell, Allowing pellets to escape from a central point, as well as in any point which “cracks” including the rear (bottom) of the fuel cells. They will not show signs of damage from the top of the fuel cell because these handles are made of steel, not zirconium. For all we know the entirety of the Fuel pellets are located at the bottom of the fuel pool, While each and every fuel rack would appear undamaged. Its not to say this is what I think happened; As With reactor 3 there was an obvious nuclear detonation which came from the core. Just to say that the photo only proves a fuel rack is present. (however its mechanical integrity is completely unknown based on the science involved. Its like a double a battery that leaked 30 years ago. It will still look like a battery. However it will not produce power.

The reason we know it was a core incident is because MOX rods were found on site between reactor’s 3 and 4. Which were ejected directly from the core. This is in addition to the 10+s/hr readings that were present on site shortly after the event took place. They also found fuel cell fragments disbursed off site. (some 175 meters away). 3 was the most “visual” detonation in the incident; (in respects to unit 4’s footage being witheld to date). While 4 is ‘suspected’ of putting on a secondary show, which was equally / visually reported to be significant. As there were two actual explosions reported by citizens from this unit during the crisis. (however that footage is again “missing”).

In respects to your questioning Reactor 3 was highly pressurized from the buildup of hydrogen within the primary containment vessel. due to the buildup its likely that tepco attempted to “vent” the primary containment vessel (or even potentially were trying to manually remove the fuel load). However something caused the hydrogen to ignite, which led to the domed lid of the primary containment vessel to uncap itself. Arnold Gunderson was the first person in mainstream media to point out the loose cap. (via tepco footage). Showing a direct stream of steam ejecting from the primary core unit itself. Essentially reactor 3’s core unit melted down causing the initial explosion. Which is reversed from reactor 4’s incident. (which was a fuel pool / meltout).

Meltout through bottom of reactor, corium steaming away in water, layer of steam bubbles surrounding it. Hydrogen explosion in main building, compressing steam bubbles to liquid, that creates the sharp increase in reactivity necessary to trigger the Prompt Moderated Criticality. There, fixed it. Also keep in mind, they spend 10s or even 100’s of million to cover things up with visual screens just so we can’t see them….what else would they do on an agenda?

PUN we KNOW that amount of uranium in air at something like 3000% over background levels, over the whole Pacific, from Saipan, Guam, Hawaii, California. The only way that amount of uranium could get so aerosolized is a blast from below, or perhaps looked at as a blast from within.

If you are new to prepping or if you have been thinking and reading about prepping, but haven’t started yet, I have something to say to you: Prepping is not complicated. Don’t over think it. Don’t delay, waiting until you … Continue reading →

Meat-eating plants have captured the imagination of many writers and filmmakers. One of the more well-known carnivorous plant stories is Little Shop of Horrors, which was originally filmed in 1960, then made into a Broadway musical, with a second Hollywood release in 1986. This comedy/musical/horror film tells the story of a florist clerk who discovers an unusual plant with a unique appetite… for human blood.

This got me to thinking about my vegetarian friends. I wonder, would they feel differently about eating a plant if they knew that the plant had eaten meat before it was harvested? Would a vegetarian eat a carnivorous plant?

Out of all of the strange plants in all the world, who would have thought that you would ever find flesh eating plants? Okay, maybe ‘flesh eating’ is a bit over the top, but there are insect eating plants out there, not man-eating – but carnivorous none the less.

All carnivorous plants are to be found in areas where the soil has very little nutrient content. These fascinating plants are categorized as carnivorous because they trap insects and arthropods, produce digestive juices, dissolve the prey, and derive some or most of their nutrients from this process. The first book on these plants was written by Charles Darwin, in 1875, titled Insectivorous Plants. After further discoveries and research, it is now believed that these marvels of the plant kingdom evolved independently six different times in five different orders of flowering plants, and nowadays these are represented by more than a dozen genera. They can be found throughout the world (except on Antarctica).

Many people are surprised to learn that the greatest variety of carnivorous plants can be found in North America. These plants inhabit bogs, rocky areas and other types of soils that are poor in nutrients. Carnivorous plants can survive at different altitudes and in various climates, but they do not tolerate dry habitats very well at all, so don’t expect to find them in the American Southwest.

A diet based on the flesh of animals provides carnivorous plants with the nutrients that other plants normally absorb from the ground. Carnivorous plants come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes but do use similar mechanisms to attract their prey. These plants are very popular and often cultivated because of their interesting morphology and unusual eating habits. Most species of carnivorous plants are small herbaceous plants that can reach up to about 12 inches in height. Some species look like bushy vines while others might seem more like an iris on steroids! They can grow to the height of 3 feet.

Most carnivorous plants eat flying, foraging, or crawling insects. Those that live in or around water capture very small aquatic prey like mosquito larvae and tiny fish. On rare occasions, some tropical carnivorous plants have even been reported to capture frogs, or even rats and birds (although these creatures were probably sick or already near death). But don’t worry, these plants pose no danger to humans, even if you fell asleep in a whole bed of them.

Just like other plants, carnivorous plants obtain energy through the process of photosynthesis, not from the meat they devour. They absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to create food (which is a simple sugar). An animal-based diet provides nutrients such as nitrogen, calcium and phosphate. These elements are used in various biological processes: protein synthesis, nucleic acid synthesis, improvement of the structure of the cell walls, etc.

Just like other plants that need to attract other creatures to help with things like pollination, carnivorous plants use different strategies to attract their prey. Carnivorous plants are often very colorful, some are sweetly scented and produce large quantities of nectar, still others have parts that are sticky or slippery or designed in a way that makes it hard for prey to escape. Once they have attracted their dinner, carnivorous plants use five basic trapping strategies or mechanisms. These five basic trapping mechanisms are: pitfall traps, fly Paper traps, snap traps, bladder traps and lobster pot traps.

Leaves of plants with pitfall traps are shaped like a funnel, and digestive enzymes are found in a pool at the bottom. After landing on the slippery edge of the leaves, the unsuspecting insect will fall into the funnel, land in the digestive juices and become trapped.

Flypaper traps use a super-glue-like substance which sticks the insects to the spot they land on and prevents them flying away. They become supper!

Snap traps are designed for the active catching of insects. After landing on the plant, the surprised insect triggers the fast closing leaves of the plant when it touches sensitive hairs which fire off the trap and the leaves, such as in the familiar Venus fly trap, quickly close and trap the prey.

Plants with bladder traps live in the water. They use a vacuum and bladder-like structure to “swallow” their prey along with the surrounding water.

Plants with lobster-pot traps use inwardly oriented hairs to force hapless insects to walk toward a pool of enzymatic juices.

The diet of almost all carnivorous plants consists of small insects and their larvae. Larger species of carnivorous plants can digest small mammals and frogs. So once they catch their prey, how do these plants digest the meal? Most carnivorous plants make their own digestive enzymes. Still others depend on bacteria to produce these enzymes; the bacteria cause the captured prey to rot, and the plant absorbs the nutrients. Still other plants rely on both their own enzymes and additional enzymes generated by bacteria. Yet another method is even more unappetizing. Some carnivorous plants use bugs and insects as helpers. For example, on carnivorous sundews, assassin bugs crawl around and eat the insects that have been captured. Then the assassin bugs poop, and the feces is used by the plant for dinner. Yuck!

Carnivorous plants can live on the ground or in the water. Most carnivorous plants are pollinated by insects attracted by beautiful and colorful flowers. The lifespan of any carnivorous plant depends of course on the species, but some such as sundews, can survive up to 50 years in the wild.

One of the most fascinating things about the group of plants is watching them move, seeing them spring their traps so incredibly quickly. The Venus fly trap has long been a favorite among kids and adults alike, we all love to see it close its leaves, trapping its dinner inside. But just how does the plant move, how is it able to snap shut? Does it have muscles? Venus fly traps aren’t the only type of carnivorous plants that move, but they are the most commonly known. What happens is this: when something touches the trigger hairs on the edges of the leaves, the cells on the inside wall of the trap transfer water to the outside walls as quick as lightning. This in turn causes the inside walls to essentially go limp. This makes the leaf snap tightly closed. Another way carnivorous plants move to entrap their food can be observed in the sundew plants I mentioned above, which have a long flypaper trap. Once the prey gets stuck on the gluey tentacles, the tentacles embrace and surround the captured creature. It does this by growing much faster on the outside than it does on the inside. The really amazing thing about this is that they can do this really, really fast. In fact one common species of sundew can bend 180 degrees in just a minute or so – wow!

Let’s take a closer look at seven of the most interesting carnivorous plants:

#7 – Utricularia
Starting the list at number seven are the Utricularia, or as they are commonly known, the bladderworts. These are a genus of carnivorous plants consisting of about 220 species. They occur in fresh water and wet soil as terrestrial or aquatic species. You find these on every continent accept Antarctica. They are the only carnivorous plants that make use of bladder traps. Most species have very small traps, in which they can catch only tiny prey, like protozoa. The traps can range from 0.2mm – 1.2cm, with the larger traps targeting larger prey like water fleas and even small tadpoles. The traps have small trigger hairs attached to a trapdoor. The bladder, when set, is under negative pressure in relationship to its surrounding area. When the trigger hairs are tripped, the trap door opens up, sucks in the insect and surrounding water, and closes the door again, all in a matter of 10 thousandths of a second! Once they prey is inside, the trapdoor closes and digestion begins.

#6 – Sarracenia
Coming in at number six are the Sarracenia, also called the North American pitcher plant. These carnivorous plants are indigenous to the eastern seaboard, Texas, the Great Lakes, and southeastern Canada, with most species being found only in the southeast United States. These are a pitfall trap plant whose leaves have evolved into a funnel, with a hood-like structure growing over the opening to prevent rain water from diluting the digestive juices. Insects are attracted by color, aroma, and a nectar-like secretion on the lip of the pitcher. Slippery footing, aided in at least one species by a narcotic drug lacing the nectar, causes insects to fall inside where they die and are digested by enzymes.

#5 – Sundews
At number five we have the sundew. Sundew is this plant’s common name, but you will also see it called by its genus name, Drosera. These plants are characterized by movable glandular tentacles, topped with sweet sticky secretions. Species from the Drosera genus are often called sundews since they, as you might imagine, appear to be covered in dew. Attracting unsuspecting insects with this “dew,” Drosera plants are able to ensnare and even digest their prey. These plants are common in nutrient-deficient places like bogs and sandy beaches. Drosera actually comprises one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. These can be found widely spread on every continent except for Antarctica. Sundews, depending on species, can form either prostrate or upright rosettes, ranging from a half inch to a full meter in height, these beauties live for a very long time under the right conditions.

#4 – Pinguiculas
Number four would have to be the Pinguiculas. Commonly called butterworts, these plants are strikingly beautiful. They are carnivorous plants that look almost like succulents, but similar to Drosera they produce dewy, sticky leaves to capture their dinner. The leaves of the butterworts are usually bright, almost ‘electric’ green or pinkish in color. There are two special types of cells found on the top side of the butterwort leaves. One is known as a penduncular gland, and consists of secretory cells on top of a single stalk cell. These cells produce a mucilaginous secretion which forms visible droplets across the leaf’s surface, and acts like flypaper. The other cells are called sessile glands. They lie flat on the leaves surface and produce enzymes like amylase, esterase, and protease, which aid in the digestion process. There are roughly 80 species of butterwort that can be found throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia.

#3 – Nepenthes
Number three on the list are the Nepenthes. Also known as tropical pitchers or monkey cups, these somewhat larger plants are native to the more tropical regions of Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Madagascar, Seychelles, Australia, India, Borneo and Sumatra. There are about 130 species in all. The nickname “monkey cups” comes from the fact that monkeys have often been observed drinking rain water caught by the plants’ pitchers. These pitchers start as small buds and are filled with a self-produced liquid nectar. Lured by the nectar’s scent, insects and even small animals like mice fall into the pitcher where they find themselves trapped. When the plant senses motion in this pitcher, its digestive processes begin. Nepenthes secrete powerful digestive juices that can break down their prey, allowing the plants to gain the nutrients they need for survival. Most species of Nepenthes are tall creepers (10-15m), with a shallow root system. From the stem you will often see sword-like leaves growing, with a tendril (often used for climbing) protruding from the tip of the leaf. At the end of the tendril, the pitcher forms first as a small bulb, which then expands and forms a cup.

#2 – Byblis
Number two on our list of carnivorous lovelies is the Byblis, or rainbow plant. This is a small genus of carnivorous plants native to Australia. The name rainbow plant comes from the attractive appearance of their mucilage-covered leaves in the sun. Even though these plants look similar to the Drosera and Drosophyllum, they are not related in any way and can be distinguished by zygomorphic flowers with five curved stamens. The leaves have a round cross section, and they tend to be very elongated and tapered at the end. The surface of the leaves are completely covered in glandular hairs that release a sticky mucilaginous substance, which in turn traps small insects on the leaves or tentacles as a passive fly paper trap.

#1 – Venus Fly Trap
Number one, of course, is the very famous Venus fly trap, Dionaea muscipula. Let’s face it, when most people think of carnivorous plants, Venus fly traps are the plant that comes to mind first. The Venus fly trap is known for its hinged, leafy “jaw” that snaps together to trap and consume unsuspecting insects. This famous fellow is a rather small plant that has four to seven leaves growing from a short subterranean stem. The leaf blade is divided into two regions: a flat, long, heart-shaped, photosynthesis-capable petiole, and a pair of terminal lobes, hinged at the midrib, forming the trap which is actually the true leaf. The inner surfaces of these lobes contain a red pigment and the edges secrete mucilage. When an insect, beetle, or frog touches two or more of the plant’s “hairs,” the flytrap quickly hinges shut, trapping and then slowly digesting the prey. Venus fly traps are one of the few plants that can perform rapid movements. When the fly trap has fully digested an insect, it opens up its jaw once more, ready for its next meal. To prevent wasting energy on trapping inanimate objects like raindrops, the jaw will only close after two or more hairs are touched within about 20 seconds of the first movement. The hinged lobes snap shut in about 0.1 seconds. Man – that is fast! They are fringed by stiff, thorn-like protrusions called cilia, which mesh together and prevent the prey from escaping. When the dinner guest is unable to escape and the inner surfaces of the lobes are continuously being stimulated, the edges of the lobes grow or fuse together, sealing the trap and creating an enclosed “stomach” in which digestion and absorption can take place.

I first fell in love with carnivorous plants back in the fourth or fifth grade, when a teacher named Mrs. Kuttla brought in a Venus fly trap as a class pet. For some unknown reason, we called the plant Luke. I would spend any time I could watching Luke, and I loved it when I would see him snap shut on an ant or a spider. The most fun of all was when I got to feed him raw hamburger! As a kid, I just loved that plant. And believe me, with a class of 30 kids to feed him, Luke never went hungry!

Luke was lucky that all of us kids had plenty of food to eat from the school cafeteria, so eating him never crossed our minds. But as we grew up and left school, we all started to make our own decisions about our diets. Some of us continued to eat meat regularly, but a few of us became vegetarians. Now I wonder, if we could go back in time, would a vegetarian eat that carnivorous plant? I guess I’ll never know. If you’re a vegetarian – tell me what you think in the comments section below. Would you eat Luke?

Among other uses, baking powder is used in recipes to make biscuits, muffins, or even ‘bread without yeast’. Baking powder is used as a leavening agent – enabling baked goods to ‘rise’. When baking powder is combined with water, a chemical reaction occurs which enables its ingredients to produce carbon dioxide – which is then […]

Old age is the one thing that none of us can escape. Along with old age come the physical problems that to some degree are in all of our futures. We lose our hearing, our joints don’t work the same and our memories get shorter. But at the same time, we have accumulated a large amount of knowledge and hopefully financial resources. Regardless of how hard we struggle eventually old age effects prepping.

So how do we deal with it? Because of my age, this is an immediate concern to me. While I am in good condition for my age, I would find it much harder to bug out on foot, so would my wife. Neither one of us can carry what we once could. We would be slower and need more downtime than young people. There reaches a point that regardless of how much you exercise or eat right your body just gets old.

On the other hand, we have more knowledge, which is one reason that I write this blog. I feel we have a duty to pass along the knowledge that we have accumulated to the younger generations. Many of the old skills are disappearing and there is too much dependence on power tools. The knowledge that we pass along may help save lives in the future. Many of us after a lifetime of work have more financial resources; hopefully we can use these to help the younger members of our family become prepared.

So what should we do? We should lead and guide our families in many different areas. While we cannot make their decisions for them, we should influence them. Now I am not just talking about prepping, but we should also be passing on our morality and our work ethic. These are things that are missing in so many families today.

Hopefully you won’t have to bug out or will be able to go to a prepared location. Either way there are things you can do that will make life easier for you in the future. Just the other day I put better handrails on our front porch, now I need to do the same thing on the rear porch. Going to garage sales I often see walkers and other medical devices that can be of help as you deal with old age. These are normally cheap and you should add them to your preps.

Give some thought to your home. Are all your preps in the basement or on a second story? Will you always be able to get to them? How heavy are your containers, will you always be able to carry that five gallon bucket of honey. Make sure you have the basic medicines on hand that you will need.

But most important of all, without the internet and all the modern communication devices, your knowledge becomes very important. But sure and pass it along, whether it is to your children or somebody you choose to mentor.

While Western media have examined the role of rising temperatures and drought in this year’s record wildfires in North America, Russian media continue to pay little attention to an issue that animates so much of the world.

The indifference reflects widespread public doubt that human activities play a significant role in global warming, a tone set by President Vladimir Putin, who has offered only vague and modest pledges of emissions cuts ahead of December’s U.N. climate summit in Paris.

Russia’s official view appears to have changed little since 2003, when Putin told an international climate conference that warmer temperatures would mean Russians “spend less on fur coats” while “agricultural specialists say our grain production will increase, and thank God for that”.

The president believes that “there is no global warming, that this is a fraud to restrain the industrial development of several countries including Russia,” says Stanislav Belkovsky, a political analyst and critic of Putin. “That is why this subject is not topical for the majority of the Russian mass media and society in general.” … Putin’s scepticism dates from the early 2000s, when his staff “did very, very extensive work trying to understand all sides of the climate debate”, said Andrey Illarionov, Putin’s senior economic adviser at the time and now a senior fellow at the Cato Institute in Washington. “We found that, while climate change does exist, it is cyclical, and the anthropogenic role is very limited,” he said. “It became clear that the climate is a complicated system and that, so far, the evidence presented for the need to ‘fight’ global warming was rather unfounded.

Chapter 10 – Community ActionWe have talked about the technology of growing plants which are healthy for us. But we are not finished.

What’s to Come in Chapter 10
Only the super human can grow all the plants they need on schedule, and some people cannot grow at all, so we discuss the social issues of health and buying and sharing food.

Buying Healthy Plants

I refuse to believe that I am the only person on the face of the earth who is disorganized and fails to produce a continuous stream of plants just ready for picking. I also refuse to believe that I am the only person who has a finite brain and just does not have the expertise to grow all the range of plants and herbs, each with their own specialist horticultural protocol that they would like to eat.

But the current imbalanced diet – too much energy – not enough nutrients – is causing the number one health problem globally and many people cannot even think about growing food as an alternative.

The obvious solution is simply to go out and buy what you can’t grow – but where to go?

Supermarkets are very good at what they do – which is to make money. There is no secret on how to make money – buy as cheap as possible (which they can do by squeezing the grower) and sell at as high a price as you can get – which they do by high pressure advertising and branding. And they sell as much as they can.

I am not saying this is criminal or unethical – their job is to make money. If they don’t maximize profits they will be penalized by the financial establishment who have zero concern for my health – these are the rules of the society we live in.

I live in a horticultural area and I have gotten to know many of the local growers. I prefer shopping in the local market rather than the hassle of a supermarket.

I feel moderately comfortable with what they have to offer. They are also pretty straight dealers. I once just mentioned in passing that the watermelon I bought last week was a bit overripe – just chatting really – so he knew he needed to pick a bit earlier. He immediately gave me a new one; no receipt, no argument – that does not happen in supermarkets.

Xiulan loves markets; they are a form of entertainment for her. She demonstrates her Chinese heritage by being a master bargainer – sometimes embarrassingly so – I tell the stall holder to raise the prices when they see us coming so she can bargain them down.

Buying at the local market is a good start and I guess I am luckier than most – but I want to go further. I am convinced that the root to healthy food starts in the soil (excuse the pun) so I ask myself how I could solve the problem of wanting to buy plants knowing for sure that they been grown in nutrient-rich soil.

I don’t think I am alone in this, although I am better placed than most people because I have a large block and don’t have to go out to work. There must be millions of people around the world who for reasons of time, space, and knowhow simply cannot grow the food they would like but would still like to buy nutrient-rich plants which means they are grown in nutrient-rich soil.

Another twist to this problem is that eating fresh is so much healthier and tastier. If food is picked and eaten straight from the plant it just taste so much nicer.

Peas are the classic example. Eating a pea straight out of the pod within minutes of picking is just a totally different experience that unfortunately many people just don’t have.

Wicking Baskets

My aim in developing wicking baskets was to give people the benefit of eating fresh home grown produce without having to do all the work of growing everything themselves.

Wicking baskets are just like a small wicking bed. They are simply filled with nutritious soil (Wickimix) which sits in a bucket which acts as a water reservoir.

However the idea behind wicking baskets is much broader than a simple wicking bed. A commercial grower could grow plants to maturity either in multiple wicking baskets or in a mother bed.

When mature, the basket can then be passed on to a customer who can then pick fresh vegetables as needed. I use the chop and chew method, just pruning the outside leaves and letting new leaves shoot. A plant can be a productive source of food for many months with this system.

However when the plant is finally exhausted the customer can get a refill basket from the grower.

I use wicking baskets extensively, even though I have a large block. The reason stems from my state of disorganization.

I am daily surprised that at night time it gets dark (some people are very slow learners) and realize that I have forgotten to go down the block to pick my vegetables for dinner. Having a few wicking baskets sitting on my veranda gives me an immediate source of vegetables without having to run down to the garden in my underpants (or worse – it gets hot in Queensland).

Of course wicking baskets could be used as a primary source of production, but the quantity of vegetables that can be grown all the way from seed is limited. However they can provide a valuable source of nutrients, growing plants like water cress and herbs.

Motivation

I have put a great deal of effort into studying diet and particularly how to grow healthy food. Obviously helping Xiulan has been the primary motivation, and thankfully her health has improved dramatically as she eats a more healthy diet.

The rate of increase in diabetes is just staggering. It’s not just the numbers of people who are already diabetic – the really scary statistic is the rapid increase in the number of people who are pre-diabetic. This is not just a problem for Xiulan and me – there are already nearly a billion people around the world that are already diabetic – and the number is going up daily.

I have the technology which I know can help – at least for Xiulan and me – but how do I spread this technology? I feel I need to do what I can to help – but how?

I realise that many groups are already cooperating with growing healthy food – but only on a small scale. I would like to see this expand across the globe in the way that wicking bed technology has spread simply by people spreading the word on the internet, whether by websites, blogs, or social media.

The system of Creative Commons gives us a mechanism for this to happen, but in a much more controlled way than happened with wicking beds.

The Punch Line

We can take some things as undisputed scientific facts:

1) The body needs energy or fuel, it gets this from sugars and carbohydrates, generating energy by burning carbon and hydrogen.
2) The body needs certain chemicals, which it cannot manufacture itself, so we must eat. These are vitamins, 13 of which are undisputed (but up to 27 have been reported in the literature).
3) Plants produce a whole range of phytochemicals which have been scientifically identified, but we are not sure exactly what role they play in our health – but they seem critical.
4) Our bodies need various food in addition to fuel to regenerate our body parts.
5) The world is suffering from a major health crisis as a result of poor diet.

Despite any negative comments I make – the modern food industry actually produces an abundant quantity of energy food at low cost – but it is lacking in vitamins and phytonutrients.

I built a successful career based on examining scientific evidence and where scientific evidence was lacking or debatable still coming up with practical solutions that worked. This is called a ‘working hypothesis.’

My working hypothesis is that these phytonutrients are essential for health, if they are not in our diet our bodies senses the lack – we feel hungry and tend to pig out on high energy – low nutrient – food. Diabetes here we come!

This is what I call the hungry beast inside.

This may be a working hypothesis, but I have tested it out using myself as a guinea pig – I eat until I feel full and generally feel satisfied between meals – I feel my energy level for my age is good and although my weight may be marginally above ideal it is stable.

Working on the basis of a considered evaluation of available data (as opposed to undisputed scientific fact), I feel confident in promoting this approach to diet as the best available solution to the global metabolic syndrome problem.

My solution is that people should supplement their diet with a variety of plants grown in nutritious soil with a full range of minerals and trace elements and with an active soil biology to make the minerals available to the plants.

I have tried to illustrate the basic principles that I use to grow plants with these essential phytonutrients.

While is does take more effort in growing, I can see this being practical for some people who have land and time to grow their own high nutrient food with these essential phytonutrients. I see this as practical because they only have to grow enough additional food to supplement their diet. I see no point in them trying to replace the high energy food which forms the bulk of food intake and which can be readily purchased.

However I realise that many, if not the majority of people may find this impractical because they lack space, time or skills. There needs to be an alternative solution for these people.

I cannot see the traditional massive food system – dominated by short term profits – producing this high nutrient food – they are the cause of the problem.

But I can see a community action developing where people are motivated by ethics and providing a genuine service, rather than dominated by profits. Naturally, members of the community need to cover their costs if they are volunteering their efforts, but there is an opportunity for businesses to make reasonable profits – but it should not be the dominating motive. I am still naive enough to believe in ethical business.

This would need appropriate awareness within the community of the importance of phytonutrients, and the cooperation of home growers and ethically orientated commercial growers to supply the food.

A Community Project

One of the first jobs in creating this community action is getting the message out.

Before Xiulan was diagnosed with diabetes I really did not know much about it – I was ignorant. When it got the point that she looked as though they may have to amputate her foot I realized what a terrible disease it is. Diabetes is the most common cause of amputations and blindness and a poor diet lacking in nutrients is a major part of the problem.

I should at least make an effort to get the message out – but how? I know the number of people googling ‘rhizosphere and diabetes’ is going to be pretty small so I am not going to achieve that much by myself. Simply putting these – and the many articles I write – up on the web won’t have the needed impact. It just gets drowned out by the noise on the web and the desire for a three second sound byte.

But I look back to the wicking bed story. Probably very few people using wicking beds are even aware of my web site, they have just learned about it second, third or fourth hand. It is a little unfortunate that the message got a little scrambled but it is great that they at least got the basic message.

Since my original publications, the system of creative commons has evolved. I am not sure whether people really appreciate the significance of creative commons but it is a major development allowing people who have creative ideas to cooperate with others on community based projects.

I cannot do it myself but I can ask people reading this to take action. This could be as simple as telling friends and referring them to my website, putting the message on Facebook or whatever social media they use, if they run a website to put it on their site and if they are master filmmakers to put it on YouTube or similar sites. This cost virtually nothing and all I ask is to follow the principle of creative commons.

Let us learn from experience with wicking beds – many people have been involved with wicking bed technology – members of our Eco-community and all those people who send me emails often with excellent ideas and information. The ideas are not all mine but I accumulate information and use my website as a central source of information. I am happy to adopt a similar role in centralizing information on growing healthy food.

Delivering the Goodies

Once we have got the message out there – people are going to ask, “where can I buy this high nutrient food and how can I be sure that it really is high nutrient and not some marketing scam?”

Home Growers
I know from my experience that I often end up with surplus food that I would prefer to pass on rather than put back into my composting system (however much I love it). This must be happening all over the world so why not benefit from this by selling (or giving away if you prefer) this surplus produce.

I know that this happens already – when I have a surplus, I often just give it to my friends and they give to me when they have a surplus. But this is the age of the internet – why not do this on a bigger scale – using the internet as a medium for creating new contacts.

Commercial Growers
But I do not see this as limited to the home gardener. I live in a horticultural region and I know that many of these growers are decent honest people trying to earn a living by selling healthy food. I know that many of these growers are being squeezed by the big supermarkets and would welcome an alternative.

Again the internet provides a mechanism. Even if they are selling at the local market, it is more convenient for both customer and grower to have orders placed online for pick up at the market. Additionally there are growers’ groups who are already running a home delivery service.

What is currently missing is a way for the customer to be sure that the plants are grown in nutrient-rich biologically active soil. This would require some system of certification but would undoubtedly benefit customer and grower. If there is the interest from growers I can set up such a system.

The Community Bulletin Board at healthyfoodassociation.com

The internet has changed the world we live in by providing a global means of communication.

I have set up a website at www.healtyfoodassiocation.com which is essentially a free bulletin board. At this moment it is just a trial to learn peoples’ reactions but it can be refined as needed. The idea is simply to create a free bulletin board where growers and buyers can post and make contact.

Growers producing healthy food can post that they have their product available, this is a non-trading non-commercial web site – anyone interested in buying the produce can then contact the grower directly and arrange whatever commercial and delivery arrangement suits them. This could be either direct contact or at a local market.

This is a totally free website where growers can post information on the produce they have available and promote their expertise in growing healthy regeneration food. It aims to bring consumers and growers together free of commercial hype so people can avoid the drama that Xiulan and I have been through.

Certification

I anticipate that customers will be looking for some sort of assurance that the plants really are grown in nutritious biologically active soil. At this moment I am waiting to see how these ideas float with growers but I see that a system could be set up where growers could use a name such as ‘Grown in Wickimix®’ so they can promote that the produce is grown in this nutrient-rich soil.

This would be a system somewhat similar to organic produce. Many certified organic growers may use this system but there would be an additional emphasis on the nutritional value of the soil in addition to avoiding the use of toxic sprays.

Author’s Plea

In this series I have tried to give useful information about diet and health – I hope this benefits the home grower and dedicated growers. However there are billions of people around the globe who are suffering from poor health from eating unhealthy highly processed foods – high in calories but low in critical nutrients. I make a plea for community action to make healthy food readily available to anyone concerned about their health – whether they are gardeners or not.

If you are sympathetic to this aim, please contact me at colinaustin@bigpond.com.

How To Make A Microwaveable Healing Heating Bag I haven’t used one of these since I was a kid! I remember how my mom would warm them up and place them on my legs after soccer practice. I guess I have been using the disposable heating pads from Walgreens for so long that I forgot …

Chapter 9 – From Garden to KitchenWe have reached the point where we are growing plants – maybe in wicking or sponge beds.

What’s to Come in Chapter 9
Now we have to have a little chat about soils and how they actually work. Then a little discussion on the tricks I use to overcome my disorganization and lack of cooking skills.

Surface Chemistry

Soils look so simple – just a pile of dirt but as it is the year of the soil we must acknowledge the complexity of soils. We may start with the minerals in the soil, then follow up introducing the soil biology to release the nutrients but the next role of soil is to hold onto the nutrients.

This is done by surface chemistry; we need to have a soil surface which can hold onto the nutrients. It’s even better if the soil has a large surface area. Clay fills both roles very well, but is only needed in small quantities in the mix.

Vermiculite is another material I use which has a large surface area with the right surface chemistry to hold onto nutrients until needed by the plants.

Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic
But with wicking bed soil we need two fundamental features – the soil must wick, which is a question of surface chemistry, particle size, and porosity.

Soils can be either hydrophilic e.g. water loving which is exactly what we want in a wicking soil or it can be hydrophobic which means it repels water.

This combination of the chemistry of the soil particles themselves and how they are coated by the bugs is what holds the nutrients.

For example, sand is naturally hydrophilic which makes it a good material for wicking, however if it develops a waxy coating – as often happens in sandy soils under gum trees – it can become hydrophobic and useless as a wicking bed soil.

Many types of compost are hydrophilic and make good wicking soils but one of the best materials is roots, which have naturally evolved as nature’s water transport system.

I take advantage of this property by seeding my baskets so while they are being inoculated with the soil biology they are also developing a root mass with a very high wicking capacity.

Porosity
Another major difference between a conventional and wicking soil is porosity. Conventional soils need some porosity to provide drainage but if they are too porous any water just flows straight through and is lost (often with the nutrients).

In a wicking bed, the bulk of the water is stored in the soil itself. In recent work carried out by Peter Van Beek (www.easygrowvegetables.net) he measured the water holding capacity of various soils, sand and stone mixes. He found that good soils can hold more water than the stone or sand mixes which are often used in the base of wicking beds. He found that the void content of soils could be over 50%. I have used his method to measure the water holding capacity of my mix at over 60%. Basically it is full of holes.

I call the soil which has been prepared this way and inoculated with biology Wickimix®.

What Plants to Grow

You may be expecting me to go into detail on all the types of plants which you could grow.

Well I do grow a lot of Chinese style vegetables, cabbage, Bok choi, mustard greens, etc.

I know that there are various classifications for the nutrient content of plants – usually topped by kale – but I think that if you have genuinely healthy soil then any plant will be both nutritious and grow easily.

My aim is variety.

Helping Out Messy Man
I have to admit that I am more than a bit disorganised. I could claim that I travel a lot and can’t always be available to put in the seeds when I should to ensure a continuous supply of vegetables – but the fact is I am an experimenter – that is my focus so more often than not I either have a total surplus of some plant because I tried four different methods of growing and they all worked and provided an excess that I have no hope of eating – or conversely they all fail and I have nothing.

So I have developed some good friends in the vegetable world to overcome my disorganization.

The first three are staples – Kang Kong, purple amaranth and Egyptian spinach. They grow so well in my area that they could almost be considered weeds but they have helped me over a bad patch more than once.

The other cover for my disorganisation is baby greens. These are a little more mature than shoots or micro-greens but have more body. So if see I am going to run out of vegetables I simply seed a fresh wicking basket to quickly grow some baby veggies.

I just cover the entire basket with seeds and within a couple of weeks or so the baby greens will start to be big enough to eat – later I can transplant them from the baskets to full scale wicking beds.

Cooking and My Lack of Culinary Arts

I would rank amongst the world’s worst cooks, so I should not be giving culinary advice – but I will make a few comments. I once went onto a strict vegan diet. This was essentially a no fat diet. At first I felt good but as the weeks went by I turned into Mr. Notsohappy. You can get awfully fed up with steamed cabbage. I felt hungry and started to get cravings. I began to think about the old joke that giving up wine, women, and song does not make you live longer – it just makes it seem longer.

I wanted to stay on a largely vegetarian diet but as I read about how fat slowed down the speed of digestion I decided that I should experiment with a certain amount of fat in my diet.

I tried to get maximum variety in my diet but for now I will focus on what has become almost a staple, not every day but frequently. Previously, I had been almost exclusively steaming with no fat. Now I started to fry my vegetables in olive oil. But in addition I would put a few pieces of Chinese sausage in with the vegetables.

I have no idea what they put in those sausages but they really are tasty. The fat and flavoring would transfer to the vegetables and made an immense improvement to their flavor. I would then add apple vinegar, maybe some soya sauce and a good old dose of spices. This was a big improvement but the stock was watery and really not so nice.

I then added thickening to make a richer gravy. I used a variety of thickening agents some commercial but many times flour, maybe semolina, sometimes good old fashioned oats or one of the many grains that are widely available.

This was an immense improvement in terms of pleasure in eating and how I felt – but there was still something missing. I though it may be a vitamin B12 deficiency and started to eat a lot more vegemite (actually Dick Smiths Ozimite). Again a bit better, but then I discovered malt extract.

I started to add this to milk drinks (soya milk) and tea (I drink Chinese green tea). I actually felt full for the first time in a long while and the craving disappeared.

I came to the conclusion that it is really important to monitor yourself and find out just what foods make you feel satisfied. I think the calorie restrained diets which leaves you feeling hungry are ridiculous, the trick is to find out a food mix that stops your body craving. This means checking how you feel just after you have eaten and particularly a couple of hours after that.

Food is also a pleasurable social activity; I have no intention of aborting going out for a nice meal with friends.

I make sure I cook enough vegetables that I feel full after eating and I do have a nut snack between meals with a cup of tea. I feel this is a good ‘base’ diet but I have a weakness, I just love chocolate. The cocoa bean is extremely healthy – the problem is the vast amount of sugar that is added to commercial chocolate. I have partially overcome that by buying cooking chocolate and – when you get used to the lack of sugar – it actually tastes better.

But this does lead me into the next section which is about buying healthy plants.

Coming Up in the Next Chapter
The reality is that it is verging on the impossible to grow all the variety of plants that we may like on schedule – so we need to talk about sharing or trading plants.

7 Urban Survival Mistakes Most people try to learn from their mistakes. In fact, sometimes making mistakes is the only way to learn. But this is not so in an urban survival scenario. If you make the wrong mistake and die, you won’t get a chance to learn from it. So instead you’ll have to …

Much has been written about the need for drinking water in a survival situation. And luckily, most people have gotten the message and either store extra water in barrels, have cases or jugs of bottled water, or have a source of fresh water that can be made ready for drinking with filters, chemicals, or bleach.

Gaye Levy started Backdoor Survival so that she could share her angst and concern about our deteriorating economy and its impact on ordinary, middle-class folks. She also wanted to become a prepper of the highest order and to share her knowledge as she learned it along the way. On Backdoor Survival you will find survival and preparedness tools and tips for creating a self-reliant lifestyle through thoughtful prepping and optimism.

First it was wildfires, then it was unprecedented flooding, and now it is earthquakes. In the past two weeks alone, more than 400 earthquakes have shaken San Ramon – a small city that sits approximately 45 miles east of San Francisco. Never before have so many earthquakes been recorded in that area in such a short span of time. Standing alone, that earthquake swarm may not mean that much. But when you stand back and look at all of the unusual events that have been happening since late September, a very disturbing picture begins to emerge.

But first, let’s talk about this earthquake swarm. All over the planet, seismic activity seems to be increasing. According to Volcano Discovery, dozens of volcanoes around the world have recently erupted, and Afghanistan was just hit by a massive 7.5-magnitude quake. It was one of the worst earthquakes that Afghanistan has ever seen, and it is going to take months to deal with all of the damage. So that is why it is so alarming that right now there is record breaking earthquake activity just outside of San Francisco…

San Ramon, California, appears to have broken a new earthquake record over the last two weeks: A total of 408 small quakes have shaken the East Bay city, almost four times the record set in 2003 in half the amount of time.

“I’ve not felt so many tremors in decades,” Mark Stone said outside a San Ramon Starbucks on Tuesday morning. “My dog, Gimmel, she’s the first one to know a couple of seconds before.”

And his dog has been extra alert lately.

The state of California has been seeing a lot of disasters lately. In late September, tremendous wildfires in the state were making headlines all over the planet. In fact, Barack Obama formally declared the Valley Fire to be a “major disaster”, and federal funding was released to help fight it. The following is from an NBC News article that was posted on September 23rd…

Tropical Cyclone Chapala (04A) formed on Wednesday in the Arabian Sea between India and the Arabian Peninsula and has since rapidly strengthened with winds equal to that of a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific Ocean.

Chapala is forecast to strengthen further with winds equal to that of a Category 5 hurricane by later Friday or Saturday and could become the strongest tropical cyclone ever recorded in the northern Indian Ocean.

“Chapala is also on pace to become the strongest cyclone on record in the Arabian Sea,” Accuweather Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls added. “The pressure of Chapala is 922 mb, close to the lowest pressure of Gonu, 920 mb, in 2007.”

This tropical system will have no direct impacts on India as steering winds from the east will result in a track toward Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The volcano’s activity seems to have picked up a bit compared to recent weeks. A partial collapse of the active dome generated a pyroclastic flow that traveled several km to the south, accompanied by an ash plume that rose to 4-4.5 km altitude and drifted east.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): Another (the third) eruptive phase began at the volcano yesterday evening. From 16:00 local time, the volcano observatory recorded an increase in tremor and new lava was seen in the vent after 20:00.
Shortly after 04:00 this morning, activity intensified further and formed a new active lava pond inside the large new crater that had formed early in the eruption near Piton Rivals. The activity is currently observable from the path leading to Piton Bert.

800+ Organized Canning Recipes for Winter Storage Canning any time of the year is just wonderful. If you have an abundance of crops, fruits and veggies to eat or get rid of, canning is perfect to do just that and ensure you have food for the uncertain times. Now that the growing season has begun, …

7 Urban Survival Mistakes That Could Get You Killed Most people try to learn from their mistakes. In fact, sometimes making mistakes is the only way to learn. But this is not so in an urban survival scenario. If you make the wrong mistake and die, you won’t get a chance to learn from it. …

Zimbabwe has become a recurring topic on this blog (like HERE and HERE, for a couple of examples). The reason being, the recent history of the country provides examples and lessons that we can all learn from. This became more clear to me as I listened to this week’s McAlvany Weekly Commentary podcast, titled Zimbabwe Inflation: “How We Survived.”The show begins with David McAlvany talking about his book, Intentional Families, which will soon be in print. David’s book is not about Zimbabwe but, evidently, part of it is about the importance of forgiveness. And that’s where Ben Freeth comes into the broadcast.Ben and an associate named Craig (I couldn’t make out the last name) are interviewed by David McAlvany about the history of Zimbabwe (the former Rhodesia), the recent economic and societal collapse, and how they and their families were affected by the crisis.The picture above gives you some idea of how Ben Freeth was personally affected by it. He and Craig were prosperous, white, landowning farmers prior to Robert Mugabe’s rise to power in Zimbabwe. With Mugabe’s takeover came a breakdown in the rule of law. Farms and other personal property were forcibly taken from the white landowners. White farmers (and many of their black workers) were beaten and killed. Their homes were burned.You can do a Google search and find the story of Freeth’s harrowing ordeal in 2008. His father and mother-in-law were also severely beaten in the incident. His father in law, Mike Campbell, eventually died from the injuries sustained in the attack. In a prior incident of home invasion, Freeth’s six year old son’s leg was broken. This episode of societal breakdown and persecution was a living nightmare for Freeth’s family, and many others in Zimbabwe.Before Mugabe, Zimbabwe had been a prosperous, agriculturally productive nation. After the farms were taken, the national economy tanked. The now-infamous Zimbabwean hyperinflation came. It is very interesting to hear about what life was like in the Zimbabwe hyperinflation. And now, according to the interview, Zimbabwe is experiencing severe deflation. That’s interesting to hear too.But, what I found most interesting about this interview was the break from financial discussion (which is what the McAlvany podcasts are primarily about). Ben and Craig give their personal testimony about how the terrible ordeals they experienced have impacted their families and how they have chosen to respond to it all.In short, it was their Christian faith that helped them to deal with the crisis events as they were happening, and it is their Christian faith that has compelled them to forgive in the aftermath. This matter of forgiveness and, in particular, choosing to forgive, is something I have written about here in the past—in my essay, How To Forgive Others. In the wake of the events of 2008, and the death of his father-in-law, Ben Freeth has started the Mike Campbell Foundation. I was pleased (but not surprised) to see that the Mike Campbell Foundation supports the Foundations For Farming ministry (another recurring topic on this blog) and Ben Freeth has written about the ministry At This Link.There are alarming past parallels, and potential future parallels, between the history of Zimbabwe and that of America. Prosperity and decline. The loss of agriculture. Racial animosity. The disregard for established rule of law. Dictatorship. Societal collapse. The scapegoating and persecution of certain classes of people. I recommend that you listen to the McAlvany podcast. Here’s the link again: Zimbabwe Inflation: “How We Survived”

How To Make Your Own Crackers (In 20 Mins or Less!) There aren’t too many people out there who don’t eat some form of cracker or another. Whether it is made with rice or wheat flour, crackers are a universal food found on every continent. They also happen to be one of the easiest, and …

No ratings yet. Editor’s Note: This post is another entry in the Prepper Writing Contest from Corey. Prepping is more than warehousing freeze-dried food and ammunition for the onslaught of the zombie apocalypse. As a prepper, I’ve accumulated some insight along the way and I’ve realized it’s a way of seeing life with an eye […]

Ready to Update Your Bug-Out Bag?

Every once in a while you need to fine-tune your preps. Nobody gets it right the first time and we all end up with less than ideal gear because, as beginners, we often buy things out of impulse, falling prey to seductive advertising. Since our bug out bags are at the core of our survival plan, let’s start with those. What are some of the things we can improve?

Before we talk about all the essential items to add, remove or replace (full list here), we need to talk about the backpack. If it’s already full to the brim with supplies, you may need to consider getting a bigger one. Not to worry, you don’t have to throw this one away, you can repurpose it as a get home bag or as a Bug-Out Bag for your kids.

Keep in mind that bigger isn’t always better. If your bug out location isn’t far away or if you can’t carry that much weight, you should probably stick to a bag that’s easier to carry. Still, if you need a new hiking backpack, make sure it has a strong internal frame, padded shoulder straps and padded hip belts.

OK, moving on to the essentials we mentioned earlier…

To keep the process straightforward, you need to do two things. Number one, you need a laptop because you’re gonna make a list of all the things to add or replace and then research them online. Second, you need to take everything out of the Bug-Out Bag so you can put them back one by one (the ones that are still worth it, at least).

Did you do it? Great! All you have to do now is take each item one by one and ask yourself a few questions.

The first one is:

Do I really need it?

Keeping in mind a Bug-Out Bag’s purpose ends once the bug out itself ends, there’s no need to fill it with items you already have at your bug out retreat. For example, one of the things I blindly threw inside my Bug-Out Bag in the beginning that was considerably heavy was a printed copy of the SAS Survival Guide. Nope, it wasn’t the pocket edition. Now that book sits nicely on the shelf and my Bug-Out Bag is one pound lighter.

Sure, it’s always nice to have things that cover every possible scenario but let’s say you live in the burbs and your BOL is 20 miles away. Do you really need fishing hooks? Can you see yourself camping in the forest or fishing? In some cases, it’s better to keep your supplies split between your home and your bug out location to cover both scenarios (bugging in and bugging out, that is).

The second question you need to ask yourself is:

Do I know how to use this thing?

In case of pre-packed Bug-Out Bag or pre-packed first-aid kits, the buyers rarely know how to actually use the things they bought. They have this feeling of safety after the purchase simply because now they own the thing. But in a real emergency, they’re likely to look at that tourniquet or that multi-tool and scratch their heads because they don’t know how to use it.

Though learning new skills isn’t exactly on topic, since your bag items are already spread across the floor, why not make a list with the ones you need to learn how to use?

OK, moving on. After you decided you need to keep an item, the next questions to ask yourself are:

Is this a high-quality item?

…and…

Can I get a lighter/smaller version of it?

You see what we’re doing here, right? On the one hand, we need to make sure these items won’t let us down when we need them most; that could obviously cost us our lives. If you bought one particular item in the beginning, when you didn’t know much about prepping, it’s time to re-evaluate your choice and the way you do that is through research. There’re 2 small steps to take.

Step #1: Write in Google best [item]. For example, best survival knife or best multi-tool.

Step #2: Also write in Google: best [item] site:survivalistboards.com. This instructs Google to only return results from the most popular survival forum.

Step 1 will get you Amazon reviews, blog posts and articles about your chosen item. Step 2 will show you forum discussions by advanced preppers. Thus, you’ll make sure that you’re informed and make the best choice.

Do this for every item and you’ll surely find the best survival items for the best price. For instance, even though there are survival knives out there that cost hundreds of dollars, my “weapon of choice” is a Morakniv Companion with a carbon steel blade that’s only 15 bucks on Amazon.

Ok, back to our second question: can you find items that are lighter than the ones you have? Just because you found the best AM/FM radio, this doesn’t mean you need to get it. You might find something lighter that’s also considered pretty good, the main benefit being that if you do this for every item, you’ll end up with a BOB that’s easy to carry. (Graywolf has an excellent article on the topic of Bug-Out Bag weight, by the way)

The last thing you want to ask yourself while carefully examining each item is:

Is it working the way it should?

For example, are all your lighters working? Try them all one by one. Is your survival knife sharpened? If not, that’s going to be a huge problem. Is your spare cell-phone battery fully loaded and functional? Test it to find out.

Well this is it. I think it’s obvious that inspecting your Bug-Out Bag isn’t as hard as it seemed in the beginning of this article. You can always improve it and adapt it to your changing needs, just make sure you continue to educate yourself on the topic and periodically inspecting it every 6 months to a year.

Let’s be clear about something. I can no longer abide all the “politically correct” nuances surrounding abortion. To define this horrific practice as simply a termination or miscarriage (as the Apple Dictionary does on my computer), is not giving the true meaning to the underlying motives of those who practice it, nor the truth about the actual procedure that takes place. Even the word termination is too mild. The dictionary definition of termination is “the action of bringing something, or coming to an end.” In the case of a fetus, we are talking about a baby… or let me express it more clearly… bringing someone to an end. The reason that I feel so moved to be explicit on this terminology is because of two recent stories I ran across. The first was an article on Breitbart.com that reported on Planned Parenthood retweeting a statement from abortionist Dr. David A. Grimes, who said, in response to the state of Kansas banning D&E abortion, “D and E abortion is not a problem any more than a mastectomy is a problem. Both are solutions to a problem.”

OK, my first thought was how amazingly bold Planned Parenthood has become in the wake of the video revelations by their officials and business partners. The second thought, was what a monster this Dr. Grimes is. Who draws a comparison between a healthy unborn human baby and a malignant cancerous breast that requires removal? Who else looks upon a healthy human fetus as a diseased organ that must be destroyed? So let’s be clear about exactly what Dr. Grimes is referring to. D & E abortion (Dilation and Evacuation) involves inserting a Sopher clamp—a sharp-toothed instrument designed for “grasping and crushing tissue”—into a pregnant woman’s womb and feeling around blindly for anything to grab hold of, and then tearing it from the woman’s body. That’s not my definition. That is a description by Dr. Tony Levatino, a former abortionist, who gives a step-by-step description of a second trimester abortion: “Reach in again and again with that clamp and tear out the spine, intestines, heart and lungs… The toughest part of a D&E abortion is extracting the baby’s head. The head of a baby that age is about the size of a plum and is now free floating inside the uterine cavity. You can be pretty sure you have hold of it if the Sopher clamp is spread about as far as your fingers will allow. You will know you have it right when you crush down on the clamp and see a pure white gelatinous material issue from the cervix. That was the baby’s brains. You can then extract the skull pieces. If you have a really bad day like I often did, a little face may come out and stare back at you… Congratulations! You have just successfully performed a Suction D&E abortion. You just affirmed her right to choose. You just made $600 cash in fifteen minutes.” Remember that I said Dr. Levatino is former abortionist, and I can only pray that he has confessed and repented of his sins. I’m pretty sure that Dr. Grimes has not. A practicing abortionist from 1972 to 2014, Grimes makes the incredible claim that the legalization of abortion resulted in “prompt and dramatic health improvements” for children, a declaration that only a demonically influenced person could make. How can killing over 55,000,000 babies result in better care for those babies who manage to be born and survive in this culture of death? To show you the complete delusion and deception of this man, just consider these following statements: It was Grimes who famously wrote that there is no such thing as a third-trimester abortion, and that the elimination of a fetus during the third trimester of gestation is a “pregnancy termination, but not an abortion.” There he goes with that impersonal, PC denial again! And earlier this month, Dr. Grimes raged against new North Carolina legislation banning the sale of fetal tissue from aborted fetuses. “The North Carolina General Assembly has been voting in further restrictions to abortion practice. There’s no need for that. There hasn’t been a death from abortion in this state in decades.” As Thomas Williams, the author of the Breitbart article wrote, “Nope. [No deaths] except for all those babies.” But Dr. Grimes isn’t the only beloved abortionist at Planned Parenthood. The website Shoebat.com published an article on Dr. Uta Landy, the former Director of Planned Parenthood-California, and current National Director of a Residency training program in Abortion and Family Planning at the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health in San Francisco. First, let me say, that I take great offense at the use of the word “health” when it involves Abortion. The word health indicates the “well-being” of a person; and abortion is anything but that for the fetus/baby. Now that I’ve got that off my chest, let me tell you a little more about the good Doctor Landy. As an abortion doctor and major Planned Parenthood leader, Dr. Landy spoke at a 2014 conference and boasted about how she murdered a child, and that during the abortion the child’s eye fell off. In the talk Landy sadistically said, “An eyeball just fell down into my lap and that’s gross, and I say to myself, ‘This abortion is going well; it’s going safely’ ”. Landy’s comments were accompanied by laughter and applause. My words in that last sentence do not do justice to the sick feeling in my stomach as I listened to the reaction in the video. “I feel like any time you enter the body, it’s grotesque,” Landy declared to laughter. “I just want to honor that we have different feelings about this — we need to be prepared [for those feelings].” This latter comment was in response to a fellow abortionist who said that she, personally, finds late-term abortions disturbing, but it is the responsibility to the patients that is primary. But she was able to clear her conscious by stating, “I don’t like saying I am dismembering a fetus. … It makes me feel bad.” Others soothed their misgivings by telling themselves they had to stay strong and fight for the women; while Dr. Landy, herself, said her coping mechanism was to focus on the fetus/baby by realizing that it was “something that was once alive, and now it’s not.” Of course it’s not, after you have killed it!! She further states that she has a hard time reconciling the patient’s pain. We can translate that as the mother’s pain — disregard the pain of that fetus as its skull is crushed! And we’re expected to have sympathy for these monsters?!?These are the same people who would probably cheer if we found “life” on another planet! Yet they do not see the part they play in Satan’s goals to “steal, kill and destroy”. And can you see how bold the Enemy has become? Even in the wake of the release of the Planned Parenthood videos, their leaders and supporters have become fearless in presenting their culture of fetal murder. How much longer will God listen to the cries of those babies before He tells His Son, “It’s time for Judgment. Go!)? His Word tells me that those who belong to Him will not be subject to that vengeful wrath, but God, forgive me, I wouldn’t mind being here to see these fiends punished. But it is enough to know that their destiny is certain and painful, unless they turn from their wicked ways and repent. In the meantime, I pray for all of God’s babies and look forward to the day they receive their glorified bodies. Let that day come soon!

Isaiah 26:21 “For behold, the Lord is coming out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain.”

I love my kids. The energy they bring to our home, the warm embraces I receive every morning when they wake, and the joy of watching them learn and grow. All of these things make life beautiful.

I want them to grow up knowing the Lord, following God, valuing life, to be handy with a shovel, able to use a tractor … and a crack shot with a rifle. I desire them to be able to hunt game, dispatch a rabid coyote, and be able to drop a sexual predator with a well-aimed barrage of gunfire. In short, I want my kids to learn not only how to handle a firearm, but to respect that firearm and the responsibility that goes with it, and shoot extremely well.

Safety

As a firearm instructor, my top concern on the range is safety. This has to be our step one as a parent when it comes to teaching our children to handle guns. Every child needs to be taught to respect a firearm. They also need to be taught that a firearm in an inanimate object, and it is only dangerous if in the hands of a dangerous or evil user. My wife and I know a woman who was raised by her parents to fear guns. To this day she is deathly afraid of the sight of a rifle, shotgun or pistol. This should never be our goal as a parent.

Teach your young children to never touch a firearm, except with Mommy or Daddy’s permission. I let my 5 year old handle a firearm unloaded. I am already instilling in her little mind that her finger never touches the trigger until she is ready to shoot, and to keep the muzzle pointed in the safest direction possible. I am always right there when she handles it, and it is always unloaded unless she is firing at a target with my help. Our firearms remain locked up.

Our goal should be to see our children become confident, yet not cocky. Respectful, and not fearful. I want to raise my children in such a way that if they were to come across a firearm at a friend’s house someday left out and loaded, my child could safe that weapon — meaning he or she can determine safely if it was loaded or not, and unload and safe the firearm if needed.

I have an example here in my own life. As a teenager, I once came across a potentially dangerous situation at the home of a farmer I knew. I used to hunt and work his property part-time. During deer season one year, the farmer who never practiced the best firearm safety had gone into town with his son. They left a few rifles and shotguns in a common building on the farm fully loaded. One of their shotguns, a Browning Auto-5, had a round in the chamber, and four more in the tube magazine. The muzzle of the shotgun was completely full of hardened mud and pebbles.

Telegraph

I was aghast at the sight. I had grown up as a hunter and around firearms and I knew my way around them extremely well. I grabbed that shotgun before some of the other part-time employees who were a wee bit reckless came to work. I unloaded the shotgun, and then proceeded to unload the other firearms, a Remington 700 and a Mosin M1991/30. The shotgun with the plugged barrel sure made me feel uneasy, so I raced over to the tool shed, retrieved a cleaning rod and gun oil and gave the barrel a thorough cleaning. By the time the other knuckleheads arrived to work, I had stored the guns in a safe place out of their sight and told my boss. He shrugged as I handed him the ammunition I retrieved, but I knew deep down I did the right thing.

That is how you want to raise your kids to behave around a firearm.

Shooting a Firearm

Never start your kids on a high-powered rifle. I have seen so many idiots — and idiots is too kind a word — hand a youngster a .12 gauge or .30-06 for their first time shooting. When the kid is naturally bruised or knocked on his rear, the adult explodes in rip-roaring laughter. I honestly want to grab the firearm and wrap the barrel around the adult’s neck when I see this.

We should desire to see our kids grow up to love shooting, hunting and the outdoor sports. The first time out should be with light cartridges and small guns. Even a BB gun is great. A .22 is terrific for youngsters. Get them comfortable shooting, and then work on accuracy.

A .22 bolt action is the best tool to teach a child how to shoot. I never let a youngster use a scoped rifle unless they really need one. Start with iron sights and build confidence. Gently teach, and encourage your child. However, be strict with firearm safety. You must never waiver with a stern hand when it comes to safety.

Also, never let your child handle a firearm that they are not capable of handling. Many of us can remember last year when a firearms instructor in Arizona let a little girl handle a UZI submachine gun with tragic consequences. Let’s not let that happen. Start slow.

If they are going to start deer hunting, why not a light kicker like a .223, which contrary to many armchair gun expert’s opinion, has dropped plenty of deer. If you must go heavier, think a .243 or .7mm-08. A .30-30 can do fine for an older child.

As your child gains confidence, feel free to teach them how to handle larger chamberings. I strongly suggest waiting to introduce the shotgun until they are comfortable enough to handle recoil. I have found many larger 8 and 9 year olds are ready for a youth .20 gauge and turkey hunting.

Stay safe, and God bless!

What advice would you add on teaching a child to shoot? Share it in the section below:

5 Skills that will be in high demand when SHTF hits! When SHTF hits, there will be certain skill sets and trades that will be in very high demand, once things start to settle down and the walking dead are all gone. These are going to be the skills that will keep you alive and …

It seems that everything comes in a plastic container that typically ends up in a landfill. Butter bowls, milk jugs, take-out containers, juice bottles; the list goes on.

Most municipalities have less-than-effective recycling programs, so is there a way to repurpose these containers? There certainly is. In fact, there are several ways. The secret, though, is to know how to clean them properly if you’re going to use them for food storage.

Stockpiling containers is a good idea in case SHTF because there are many different reasons that you’ll need them, especially if the disaster is long-term. How you should clean each container for safe re-use depends largely upon what the container is made of and what you’re going to use it for. Today, we’re going to discuss how to safely clean containers for stockpiling.

First, don’t buy any sort of plastic that has BPA in it. BPA, or bisphenol A, is an industrial chemical used in the production of plastics. This chemical has been known to leech out of the plastic and into the food or drink inside the container, especially when the container gets warm.

Even leaving your water bottle in the car can cause the plastic to heat enough to release the chemical, as can microwaving. Diseases such as cancer have been linked to BPA and it’s banned in many countries already.

Companies that produce plastic containers for the US have already started to address this issue because public awareness about the dangers of BPA has driven buyers to look for BPA-free plastics even if they have to pay more.

You can tell if a container has BPA in it by looking at the recycle symbol on it. If it has a seven inside the triangle, it likely contains BPA. Don’t buy it and if you do, don’t re-use it.

Lightweight Plastics

When I say “lightweight”, I mean plastic containers such as milk jugs, butter bowls and to-go containers. These plastics can’t really withstand much heat and bleach or other harsh chemicals can damage the plastic.

The best way to clean these items is to wash them in hot, soapy water. If you’re going to use the milk jugs to store water, drop a half capful of bleach into the jug after you’ve cleaned it with hot soapy water and refilled it halfway with warm water. Shake the jug thoroughly, then dump the bleach water out, turn the jug upside down and let it air-dry.

Heavy Plastics

Heavy plastics consist of items such as juice jugs and buckets. These items can be cleaned thoroughly with hot, soapy water then bleached with a 10:1 water to bleach solution.

Be sure that if you’re using a bucket (i.e., a 5-gallon bucket) that it’s made of food-grade plastic and hasn’t contained anything other than food or water. It’s not a fabulous idea to store your bulk flour in a bucket that had motor oil in it, no matter how much you clean it!

Be warned though that if it’s a pickle bucket you may want to deodorize it before you store flour or other food in it so that it doesn’t pass the flavor on to other foods. You can do this by leaving the bleach water solution in it for an hour or so then let it air-dry.

If you want to store the containers for use later and don’t want them to smell musty, toss in a couple of charcoal briquettes after letting it dry completely. Then put the lid on and it’ll smell nice and fresh when you get around to using it.

Ceramic or Stoneware Containers

These types of containers are great for making pickled items or for fermenting foods and drinks such as sauerkraut and wine. They’re wonderful because they are insulating so they help maintain an even temperature within as long as the container is kept out of the sun.

To clean a ceramic or stoneware container, just use hot soapy water followed by a soak in the same bleach solution described above.

A couple of notes about using ceramic or stoneware: first, make sure that the container I glazed on the inside with food-safe glaze. Some glazes are made with minerals that will leech into food and aren’t suitable for food storage.

Also, ensure that there are no cracks or chips in the container before you use it because the surface is glazed to seal the container from germs and bacteria. If the glaze is chipped or cracked, bacteria will seep into the extremely porous ceramic or stoneware and can make you extremely ill.

Glass Containers

Glass is easy to clean and care for as long as you inspect it closely for chips or cracks every time you use it. When you’re talking about Mason jars, a slight crack can cause the jar to burst when you heat it or cool it quickly.

When it comes to re-using glass containers, don’t use them for canning, but if they have a seal, they may be great for storing items such as seeds, herbs, flour, rice or other goods that don’t require a seal but do need to be stored in an airtight container.

To clean glass containers, hot soapy water is the best bet. You can also follow with bleach water as described above if you really want to be sure that all germs and bacteria are dead. If you need to sterilize them for canning, place them in your canner and fill them with warm water to within an inch of the top. Fill the canner with water to that depth, too. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude as necessary.

There are certain benefits to stockpiling each type of container here. Plastics stack easily, don’t take up much space (if they stack), and are lightweight. However, they can’t tolerate heat. Milk jugs are great to store water in. Ceramic is great to stockpile if you’re going to be fermenting foods. Glass is universal; you can use it for just about anything, it tolerates heat and can be used over and over.

Regardless of what type of container you choose to stockpile, you need to make sure that they’re food-safe and free of damage. Follow cleaning directions in order to keep from getting sick. If you have any other suggestions for stockpiling containers, please let us know about them in the comments section below.

“The one thing that can impact the presence of disease the most is a lack of hygiene” CLICK HERE to find out more!

The leaves have begun to fall!!! It’s the time of year when the skyline and ground begin to turn brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow thanks to all of those beautiful leaves. Those leaves may be a bit of a nuisance to some – but they are one of the best (and cheapest) ways you can ever find to add tons of organic magic to your soil. For us, we collect all we can of that free-falling bounty now to create great compost piles, protect our landscape plants and soil from the harsh winter – and power up next year’s garden! No leaves in your yard? Don’t despair – the leaves are out there! If you’re not blessed with trees on your property – take a drive around your area and find neighborhoods that are. It usually doesn’t take too long to find them – and most people are more than happy to let you take them off of their hands! Many times, the hard work is done for you – with homeowners already raking leaves to their curb or even bagging them up curbside for pickup. A simple knock on the door and a friendly asking can usually net you more than […]

Kirsten: “Well, I’d like to give a specific shout out to women right now because there’s not a ton of information on what you should do when you have to go either number one or number 2 in the wilderness. So, to begin with, I like to look for things that seem like they’d be enjoyable to use. This right here is big sage brush which has antimicrobial properties to it as well, but its nice and soft. I might come up with a large leaf and fold it over and often times I actually end up using smooth sticks or even flat rock and I’ll tell you why, and this is where we are gonna get real personal ok? Ladies, the biggest issue in the wild is the last drop that can get caught in your underwear. So we have 2 problems here. One is we don’t want to do a heavy wipe so we strip away good bacteria and also we don’t want to leave any drops to dry in our underpants. Gross yucky right? Smelly, nasty. So with any of these materials when you’re going number one, you don’t need to actually wipe..you pat. Pat Pat Pat Pat. “

Tyler: “This I learned.”

Kirsten: “This, this we’re learning right? Pat pat pat and give it a little shake. Yeah and I even pull my butt cheeks apart and give it a little shake.”

Tyler: “Nice.”

Kirsten: “The biggest deal is to hang out there for a moment. Don’t get any cuts. Use material that is soft and friendly. Give it a little pat, but don’t wipe. For number two. Always make sure you wipe from front to back. Same for guys as well, but when your choosing materials, once again you want to have a plethora of them before you go because emergency situations never work out well. Right? Nobody wants to poop on their pants or their foot for that matter. So just have a bunch of material collected and just be clean with it. If it’s super wet just throw some sand up there to kind of dry it out a little bit so its easier to get off. Is this grossing you out a little bit?”

Tyler: ” Nice. No, no, I’m just thinking these are good ideas and I wish I knew about them a long time ago.”

Kirsten: ” Yeah, ok ok. So sometimes throw a little sand up there, dry it out a little bit and then have a ton of material with you so that your not wiping twice with a dirty leaf or rock or pine cone that’s smooth that your using in the right direction.”

Tyler: ” Yeah they are not omni-directional.”

Kirsten: “They are not omni-directional, defiantly watch out for that. But really just don’t want to get cut and you wanna make sure that you don’t leave anything left, ya know.”

Tyler: “No hangers.”

Kirsten: “No hangers. Hangers are really bad. Hangers create agitation and irritation and can lead to having a lot of discomfort in your bum.”

Tyler: “Yes. Can you use these for number two?”

Kirsten: “Absolutely. I would use a number of these for number two and the biggest thing about sticks and rocks is the slow wipe. This is not like a soft tissue, lovely like I can just stow off after this easily. You gotta be careful because if that stick is about to get caught up on something you want to back off otherwise if you keep going your gonna cut your bum.”

Tyler: “Awesome.”

Kirsten: “So, smooth sticks, smooth rocks, they work great just make sure you take your time. I definitely prefer having a ton of leaves in my hand like I would have a wade of toilet paper to use a little bit smoother. That said you wanna watch out for things that are too waxy. Waxy is not going to do you favors. Its just going to slide.”

Tyler: “So what are some of the best leaves or plants to look for for this purpose?”

Kirsten: ” So I would say, something like the sage brush that already has bacterial static property is great. You don’t want to over use it because you want to keep good bacteria in your system but something like this is going to do you well. Out here some Mullein leaf is phenomenal. It’s like having this giant piece of velvety toilet paper out here with you. So carry those around are great but any larger leaves will do. Just a mass or bunch of them before you dig the hole and get it on.”

Tyler: ” Nice. Is there any specific trick with the rock or any type of rock? Like river rock VS the salt granite?”

Kirsten: “Totally. When we are talking about the salt this is an extrusive, igneous born of lava, dried rapidly with all these little holes in it and jagged edges. If you can find it smooth that would be great but, I guess I don’t usually use it because, it can tend to have some jagged corners that come out of nowhere. right? Sand stone usually you can find a piece that looks good but sometimes, its like sandpaper. It can be a little gritty and leave a little bit of a rash. So once again it comes down to the slow wipe. See how your doing and if its feeling good continue on.”

Tyler: “No friction burns.”

Kirsten: ” No friction burns. If it’s not working then drop it and go find something else.”

Tyler: “Alright, this has been What to use when you gotta poo. Alright? thanks Kirsten. If you like this video please hit that subscribe button. Yeah.”

“As always please subscribe to my channel, comment, share and if you have any questions leave them down in the comment section. Thanks for watching T-Jack Survival!”

This Transcription is available for copy under the Creative Commons By-ND licence. You may copy and repost this transcription in its entirety as long as original links, affiliate links, and embedded video remain intact, including this CC notice.

Another tasty member of the mint family. Lemon Balm came from the mountainous regions of southern Europe and has long been enjoyed for its fresh lemon scent. I was an ingredient in potpourri and was strewn around the house to provide a clean and festive atmosphere. It earns a spot in my herb garden because it […]

It’s getting a little cooler outside so I want to show you how to make the best Dutch oven biscuits ever! This is my friend, Kathleen’s recipe with a little tweaking on my part. When we go to dinner at Kathleen and Brent’s, she will ask me if I want bread or biscuits. It’s hard because she makes the best artisan bread, but I usually say biscuits. These are so light, flaky and yet moist in the center. I have to say, you do not even need butter or jam with them. But of course, my husband always likes jam. He likes any and all berry jams to be exact. Oh my gosh, my mouth is watering for these as I write this post.

Dutch Oven Biscuits

Like I said above, these biscuits are so light, flaky and yet moist in the center!

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons SAF yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups buttermilk

5 cups flour (I can use white or freshly ground whole wheat)

1/s cup warm water

1 cup butter softened

Instructions:

I dump everything in a large bowl in the order shown above and use a Danish whisk and then use my hands. I add more flour as needed. I sprinkle flour on the counter and knead the dough quickly and roll out to 1/2 inch thick. I use a cookie or biscuit cutter. Grease a cookie sheet or Dutch oven. Bake in the house at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes. If you use a 6-quart Dutch oven outside to bake them use 10 briquettes on the bottom and 14 briquettes on the lid or top. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Here’s the kind of Danish whisk I use: Danish Dough Hand Whisk / Mixer 11″ or 14″

Ideas To Use With Baked Dutch Oven Biscuits:

butter and jam

butter and honey

egg and bacon

fried egg

poached eggs

pizza sauce, cheese and pepperoni

sausage and gravy

ham and cheese

cheese

sausage, egg and cheese

egg and cheese

I would love to add more ideas on how to use Dutch oven biscuits if you have some tips. Let’s teach the world to cook from scratch and eat at home.

A family in New York State was threatened with scrutiny by a social worker because parents chose to homeschool their son, the Home School Legal Defense Association says.

The dispute began in Mid-August when the unidentified family in the Minisink Valley Central School District in Orange County, New York, decided to homeschool their son. New York State law requires that parents file a document called an individual home instruction plan, or IHIP, with the school district in order to homeschool.

The parents received the necessary paperwork more than a month later, HSDLA reported. A week after receiving the documents, the parents got a disturbing phone call from a person identified as Lisa Delia, the secretary to Minisink Valley Central’s superintendent of schools. Delia told the parents that they had to turn in the IHIP immediately

“According to state law,” HSLDA wrote in a blog, “a parent has four weeks from receipt of the IHIP form to return it.”

“She also informed the family that she would be assigning them a social worker and that their son had to remain in public school until the IHIP was approved,” HSLDA added.

Not surprisingly, the family was alarmed.

HSLDA staff attorney Tj Schmidt contacted Delia, “who admitted that she had called the family but denied saying anything about child protective services (CPS),” HSLDA said. “Schmidt informed Delia that state law allows a family four weeks to complete the IHIP and that the family wasn’t responsible for the district’s long delay in getting them the form. Schmidt also pointed out that state law does not require a child to remain in public school until the IHIP is ‘approved.’”

Delia later acknowledged that she had referenced CPS, but insisted she meant she would contact a social worker only if the IHIP was not submitted, HSLDA said.

Shortly after that conversation, Assistant Superintendent Christian Ranaudo contacted HSDLA and admitted that the family was in compliance with state law and that they had four weeks to submit the paperwork – and that no social worker would be assigned.

Once again, parents in America have had to turn to an attorney to get local school officials to follow state laws on homeschooling.

The Minisink Valley Central School District is located around Port Jervis, New York, or the near intersection of the states of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

What is your reaction to this story? Share your thoughts in the section below:

The first thing most people do in a power outage is get a flashlight. Hopefully you have them in easy-to-find locations around the house and with fresh batteries. But what if you don’t? What if you don’t have enough batteries, or don’t have the right size batteries? In the video […]

Given the price of food these days, I take proper food storage techniques seriously. That being said, I have learned over the years that practices for storing bulk foods vary widely, with some methods being both cumbersome and confusing. Trust me, I have been there and done that. With only two hands and two arms, there is just so much juggling of bags, buckets, and beans that a gal can do singlehandedly.

Today I am going to demonstrate how I package my own bulk foods and in addition,tell you about some of the best Mylar bags out there. Coupled with a fantastic giveaway from Discount Mylar Bags let me tell you; food storage does not get much better than this!

Mylar Bags and Other Food Storage Accessories

I have written extensively about Mylar bags and O2 absorbers so I won’t repeat that information here. On the other hand, there are some differences in products from different vendors. This is especially true with Mylar bags. You get what you pay for in terms of quality.

Discount Mylar Bags, for example, sells a premium product as well as an “economy” product. In the Mylar bag world, “premium” denotes stronger and thicker as denoted by the thickness of the bag itself. The thicker the bag, the better it will withstand the weight of its contents. This may not be a factor with smaller bags, but definitely plays a role with the 5 gallon and larger bags.

Here is a photo of the items that were in my sample kit. Notice the variety of sizes that are available these days. It was not too long ago that you could purchase 1 gallon and 5 gallon bags and not much else unless you were interested in industrial uses and willing to purchase bags by the gross for commercial use.

The zip-seal bags are especially interesting. They feature a flat bottom so that the bags stand upright for filling. The smaller version is perfect for smaller items such as herbs, spices, and even medications. The nice thing is that once you break the heat seal on these bags, you can still zip them shut to preserve the contents until they are used up.

Also in the photo are oxygen absorbers and a clip you can use to seal the package of O2 absorbers while you are working with them.

One thing I should mention before moving on to my own best practices for using Mylar bags is that while many vendors sell their Mylar bags in kits filled with multiple units of the same-sized bag, at Discount Mylar Bags you can mix and match to your heart’s content. Want to try a five-gallon zip-seal bag without making a huge commitment in dollars? No problem. Add a single bag to your order and give it a try!

My Own Best Practices for Using Mylar Bags

Step 1 – Decide Upon Your Packaging

I like to use 1 gallon bags (measuring about 10 by 14 because they are easy to handle and do not weigh a ton. Have you ever tried lifting a 5 gallon bag of pinto beans? I can do it, but who wants to work that hard?

Another advantage of smaller bags is that in a short term emergency situation, you can use what you need to get you through the crisis without having to open a large bag then reseal it up again after the emergency passes.

On the other hand, for long term storage I often do use the 5 or 6 gallon bags. These are the bulk food items I will turn to if there is a major disruptive event such as an EMP or collapse of some sort. Let us hope that never happens but it is good to be ready none the less.

Step 2 – Organize the Goods and Supplies

I like to organize my packaging activities into sessions. It is far more productive to do beans, rice, and dog food at the same time that to do them hither-nither over a period of time. I won’t go so far as to say that I have a marathon, but sometimes it does seem like it.

In this step I get all of my supplies in order. I get out the bags and buckets, if I plan to use them, as well as my oxygen absorbers. I do not – repeat do not – open the package of O2 absorbers just yet. I also get out my hair straightening iron. This is the tool I will use to seal the Mylar bags although you could also use a clothes iron. Trust me though, the hair iron is a lot easier!

Step 3 – Set Your Mylar Bags Up in an Assembly Line Fashion and Fill Them

This step is self-explanatory. Hint: a canning funnel works great when filling the smaller bags.

Step 4 – Open Your Package of Oxygen Absorbers

Take out the number you will be using for this session and immediately seal up the others. You can seal them in a mason jar (that is what I do) or use the nifty clip available for just a few dollars from Discount Mylar Bags.

Something I learned recently is that each time you open the package of O2 Absorbers, they suck in some oxygen. After many “sessions”, they may start to feel warm and sweaty with moisture even though they have been sealed during the interim period.

Here is what Toby at Discount Mylar Bags had to say in response to a reader inquiry:

Your reader isn’t doing anything wrong per se, and both absorbers getting hot and condensation forming are natural processes associated with the product. (However, we definitely do want to limit moisture forming, more on that later)

The process by which oxygen absorbers remove oxygen is oxidation of iron inside the packet: O2+iron=rust+heat. The absorbers getting hot is a byproduct of the chemical reaction that removes the oxygen and is normal. The moisture is caused by the heat of the absorbers in a cool jar (or the oxygen absorber bag), which causes condensation.

I personally limit the number of times I expose absorbers to air as I work with them. So if I am going to do 5 bags and I have 50 absorbers, I recommend counting out the 5, and putting the remaining 45 into a mason jar. What is occurring is that the excess absorbers are exposed to air multiple times, and so they are getting hot enough to cause condensation.

If you do the method where you only seal the excess absorbers once, they generally will not get hot enough to cause condensation. Moisture in the air can also cause the process to act quicker (or more intensely), so storing on a clear day can also help limit the heating of the absorbers (and by extension the condensation).

As a side note, oxygen indicators (the pink pill or tab) can be unreliable (they are often affected by humidity and temperature and can give both false positives and negatives), so I recommend that as you pull each absorber out of a pack, you pinch it. Generally speaking, absorbers that are soft and powdery inside the packet are good, and they will get hard and crunchy (and sometimes will form a single solid wafer) as they are used up. That’s not 100% either, depending on the mix of elements in the absorber itself, however it holds true for the majority of the brands I’ve tested.

Using this advice, I suggest taking that package of 100 Oxygen Absorbers and separating them into 5 packages of 20 or 10 packages of 10 right from the get go.

Step 4 – Add an Oxygen Absorber to Each Bag

There are a lot of complicated formulas for determining the correct size O2 absorber for each type of food and size of bag. Forget them and keep things simple.

A good rule of thumb is to use one 300 cc oxygen absorber for each gallon of product. For larger containers, you can purchase larger, 2000 cc oxygen absorbers which are ideal for 5 or 6 gallon buckets.

O2 absorbers are cheap so if you want to throw in an extra, no harm no foul.

I like to bury the Oxygen Absorber in the food so that pending the sealing process, it is exposed to air as little as possible.

Step 5 – Seal Your Mylar Bags

I use a cheap hair straightening iron to do this. If you already have straight hair (or no hair) and don’t have one, pick up a cheapie model for $15 or $20. It will work just fine.

Take your iron and run it across the top of the bag in a wide band. Try to squeeze as much air as you can to eliminate head space but honestly? Don’t worry to much if there is some slack. The oxygen absorber will do its job and even though your food package does not become hard and brick-like, the remaining “air” will actually be nitrogen and will not be harmful to your food.

Step 6 – Get Out the Sharpie and Label the Goods.

I like to write the name of product and the current date along the sealed “band” at the top of the bag. Sharpie pens were made for this!

Step 7 – Optional: Store the Bags in a Bucket

Why do this? To keep pests from nibbling through the Mylar and eating your food. It happens, or so I am told. It has never happened to me personally but I do not want to take a chance. My food storage is just too precious to become a gourmet delight to the field mice in our area.

Step 8 – Congratulate Yourself – You are Done!

That’s it. Go have lunch, a coffee drink, or some chocolate. You did good!

The Giveaway

Here is the part you have been waiting for. Discount Mylar Bags wants you to practice what you have learned in this article in real time and will be giving two lucky Backdoor Survival readers a $100 gift certificate for use in their online store.

To enter the giveaway, you need to utilize the Rafflecopter form below. Select one or more of the options after signing in using your email account or Facebook, the choice is yours. The best way to start is by clicking on “Free Entry for Everyone”. After that, each option you select represents an additional entry. There are a number of different options so pick and choose or select them all.

The deadline is 6:00 PM Pacific next Tuesday with the winner notified by email and announced on the Rafflecopter in the article. Please note that the winner must claim their prize within 48 hours or an alternate will be selected.

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What About Food Saver Bags

I you own a vacuum sealer, you know how pricey those branded bags can be. Discount Mylar Bags sells their own version of the Food Saver bag and included a few in my package of samples.

The textured bags with what they call ‘channels’ are for Food Savers. You’re right, they most likely won’t work with most of the low end units.

I’ve offered a free case of bags to anyone who can find an easy way to raise the heat level of basic Food Savers so they will in case your readers have any ideas!

Talk about a call to all of you prepping MacGyver’s out there. It you think you know how to do this, let me know and I will try to get a sample bag sent out to you!

About the Company

Discount Mylar Bags is a mom and pop type company and not a big corporate behemoth. Chances are when you give them a call, you might get one of the owners to help you with your order or answer questions. Toby and his wife opened their doors and ran their business from their basement in April 2010, moved to a 3500 square foot warehouse in 2011, and are now designing a new 10,000 square foot facility to accommodate our growth. In his words:

“We strive every day to do business as we hope folks will do business with us: Good Prices, Fast Shipping, and Awesome Customer Service.”

These are good people that are also preppers. It does not get much better than that.

The Final Word

Toby at Discount Mylar Bags is quite the character and over the past couple of months has helped me answer some tough reader questions about Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers. I love his products so much that he will soon be coming on board as a Backdoor Survival sponsor. I am thrilled, and hope to solicit his help with more of those tough questions.

In the meantime, checkout the giveaway and be sure to enter to win a $100 gift card from Discount Mylar Bags!

Enjoy your next adventure through common sense and thoughtful preparation!
Gaye

Conair Ceramic Instant Heat 2-Inch Straightener: Any cheap hair iron will work, including this one. In the photos, you will see me using my fancy schmancy hair iron but that is only because I don’t have my el-cheapo iron with me. Put your money into quality Mylar bags instead.

FoodSaver Wide Mouth Jar Sealer: Already have a FoodSaver? If so, check out this jar sealer which can be used to vacuum seal your Mason jars. This is a great option for short to mid term storage of items such as beans, rice, sugar and salt. Store your jars in a cool, dark place and you are set with the added advantage of removing a small amount for current use without having to disrupt your large Mylar bag or bucket of food. There is also a version for regular sized jars.

Mason Jar Storage Caps Set of 8: These are fantastic! These plastic lids screw onto a mason jar and are perfect in the pantry or to cap you salves. There is both a regular and a wide mouth version. I watch for sales on these at Amazon and order dozens.

For over 25 years Emergency Essentials has been providing the highest quality preparedness products at great prices. Plus, each month they feature sales that quite honestly are fantastic. One of my favorite sale items this month is this Mobile Washer. I liked it at $19.99 and am loving it at $11.99!

This is hand operated washing machine. Like a plunger, it uses a technique of pushing and pulling the water through clothes to clean them well without wearing them out. It uses a minimum of water and less soap due to the agitation motion. Use in a bucket (5-gallon suggested), sink or tub.

Need something from Amazon (and who doesn’t)? I earn a small commission from purchases made when you begin your Amazon shopping experience here. You still get great Amazon service and the price is the same, no matter what.

Amazon has a feature called Shop Amazon – Most Wished For Items. This is an easy tool for finding products that people are ‘wishing” for and in this way you know what the top products are. All you need to do is select the category from the left hand side of the screen.

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